


19 Years and 5 Minutes Later

by TheMightyFlynn



Series: 19 Years 'verse [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Anal Sex, Dubious Consent That Rapidly Turns To Very Enthusiastic Consent, HP: Epilogue Compliant, Hate Sex, Humiliation, Infidelity, M/M, Shameless Smut, Situational Humiliation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-21
Updated: 2015-10-18
Packaged: 2018-02-22 00:01:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 51
Words: 202,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2487101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMightyFlynn/pseuds/TheMightyFlynn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five minutes after his happily-ever-after, Harry finds himself locked in the public loos with an angry Draco Malfoy and a need that he has denied for 19 years.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Well, this is what happens when I'm sleep deprived: I question what happened after the epilogue, then discard the logical, canon-compliant answers and make up my own. Please read the tags, because I wasn't aiming for my usual fluff with this one :)

“I’ll catch up with you in a minute, Gin.”

Harry bent to place a soft kiss on Ginny’s forehead and moved off towards the end of the platform where the public toilets were located. Slipping inside without a backward glance, knowing that Ginny and Lily were fine with Ron and Hermione, Harry did not notice when the door locked behind him. Sticking to his own personal rule of not really acknowledging the other occupants at the trough, Harry simply nodded vaguely when the black-clad man at the other end of the row nodded to him. It was awkward enough when people recognised him in public – even today, 19 years after the end of school – but it was worse when it was somewhere like the loo, where he was particularly vulnerable.

“Yeah, that’s right, Potter. I almost forgot I wasn’t worth acknowledging in public; thank you so much for reminding me.”

Harry’s head snapped up at the pissy tone to Draco Malfoy’s voice. It was a voice he had not really heard in 19 years, unless you counted the few times they had been caught in the same elevator at work. He finished up, tucked himself back in and moved over to the sinks where Malfoy was washing his hands.

“Nothing personal, Malfoy, but I tend to keep my eyes to myself in the public toilets.” He rolled his eyes at the glare Malfoy shot him.

“You know, Potter, I’d thought that after nearly twenty years, we would have been able to see each other in public without you feeling the need to cause some kind of scene.” Malfoy finished drying his hands and turned to meet Harry’s eyes. “But that was always your problem, wasn’t it? Famous Harry Potter was always too _good_ to associate with someone like me, even after the War ended.”

“The only reason you were acquitted of your crimes was because of _my_ testimony, Malfoy, or had you forgotten that?” Harry met Malfoy’s eyes without hesitation, noticing with a sharp stab of annoyance that the git still had at least an inch on him. “If I was still holding onto my old ideas of you, then I would’ve let you go straight to the Dementors and we wouldn’t be having this delightful conversation in a public toilet.”

“Are you threatening me, Mr High-and-Mighty Head Auror?”

“What’s the matter? Still can’t face the truth? Are you going to sue me using Daddy’s money?”

Harry’s Auror reflexes were the only things that saved him from Malfoy’s fist as it swung towards his jaw. He dodged to the side, a wide grin stretching across his face as adrenalin pumped through him. It had been quite a while since he had had to defend himself from an actual physical attack – one of the many perks of having reached Head Auror status was the lessening of his fieldwork role – but Harry’s reflexes seemed to not have been blunted. He circled around Malfoy, who spun around to face him with a snarl.

“I made my reparations years ago and you know it. My family name was cleared and I have worked my arse off to regain society’s approval. Don’t you _dare_ imply that I live off my parent’s money ever again.”

Harry caught a glimpse of heat flashing through Malfoy’s eyes as he advanced on Harry once again. His pulse quickened as they circled, almost like caged animals. He knew he could very easily subdue Malfoy – the moron was trying to fight in a suit of all things! – but decided to play it out, see where Malfoy was trying to take it. Malfoy’s strange grey eyes flittered all over the room, obviously taking in everything he could either use as a weapon or an escape route, but Harry kept his fixed on Malfoy’s face. He had not changed all that much since school: he still had the same pale blonde hair (which was beginning to recede, much to Harry’s delight); sickly pale skin and pointed features, making him look vaguely vulture-like. From what Harry had seen, Malfoy Jr. had the same pale features as his father; not even the famous Greengrass genes had been strong enough to dull out the Malfoy apparently. Harry’s stomach clenched with excitement as Malfoy made a grab at him, but he kept his hands to himself, allowing Malfoy to make the moves.

“Scared, Malfoy?”

That taunt was apparently the last straw. With a strangled cry, Malfoy threw himself at Harry, arms swinging in an attempt to injure him at any cost. They stumbled backwards, Harry’s head coming into contact with the tiled wall behind him hard enough to stun him for a few seconds, allowing Malfoy to get in a good punch to his ribcage. Harry doubled over, gasping for breath as the wind was knocked out of him. This seemed to shock Malfoy, who backed off a few steps. Harry took immediate advantage and lunged, catching Malfoy around the waist and dragging him down to the floor.

“What the –” Malfoy’s exclamation was cut off with a grunt as he had to dodge Harry’s fist, which had been aimed directly between his eyes.

Wrapping his legs around Harry’s waist, Malfoy managed to flip them over so he could take a turn at trying to knock Harry senseless. The scuffle quickly degenerated into the two of them rolling around on the floor, Malfoy’s legs still wrapped tightly around Harry’s waist so he couldn’t get away. The only sounds ringing out in the echoing room were their heavy breathing and the occasional grunt as one or the other of them connected with a fist or well-aimed elbow. Malfoy finally managed to plant his feet firmly enough so that Harry had trouble flipping them again. Regret flashed through Harry’s chest as Malfoy grabbed hold of his wrists and held them above his head, holding him captive quite effectively. He sat back a little, a look of triumph in his eyes as he stared down at Harry helpless beneath him.

“You have no idea how long I’ve waited to have you powerless like this, Potter,” he hissed as something flashed through his grey eyes that caused Harry’s stomach to flip.

“You fantasise about me, Malfoy? Always knew you were a little poof.”

Harry knew taunting Malfoy at this point was probably tantamount to suicide, but if he was going to be taken down by the pale git, his last words weren’t going to be a plea for his life. Shock rippled through him when Malfoy began to laugh.

“A ‘little’ poof, Potter?” Malfoy’s eyes glittered malevolently as he ground his hips into Harry’s thigh, allowing him to feel the large, hard bulge in the front of his expensive trousers. “There’s nothing _little_ about this poof.”

Harry could not help struggling against the hold Malfoy had on him at that. He was married and so was Malfoy – to _women_. His jab about Malfoy’s sexuality had been just that: something to say that would annoy him just enough so he would slip up, allowing Harry the upper hand. He had not expected to discover that there was a sliver of truth to the accusation. Still, there was something appealing about the idea that Harry absolutely refused to even acknowledge; this was _Malfoy_ for fuck’s sake!

“I’ve seen bigger.” _What? No, what the hell was that?!_ Harry’s eyes widened in horror the second the words were out of his mouth.

“‘Bigger’, Potter?” The words were practically spat in Harry’s face as Malfoy leant in close, moulding their bodies together. “Unlikely, or else I would have found him by now.”

To Harry’s complete and utter disgust, he could feel himself getting hard as Malfoy ground into him. He closed his eyes, telling himself that it was only natural that he should react to direct stimulation; it had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that he had spent quite a few nights wanking to the image of Malfoy’s tight, leather-clad arse on his broom. It also definitely had _nothing_ to do with the fire now burning brightly in his stomach or the sense of _right_ he got from the movement of Malfoy’s body on top of him. Planting his foot on the tiles, he shoved, rolling them over so he was on top.

“I should have known. You always were way too fascinated with me in school to be completely straight.” Despite the fact that he could probably have moved away from Malfoy then, Harry stayed exactly where he was, with Malfoy’s legs once again wrapped around his waist. “You always had to make certain I saw everything you were doing from all the way across the Great Hall. I should have known you wanted me.”

“And _you_ were the one who spent our entire sixth year stalking _me_ , so I guess we’re even.”

The fact that Malfoy had not denied Harry’s accusation sent something very akin to lust shooting through him, hardening him further in his jeans. He leant closer, his hips automatically seeking out the stimulation he was in increasingly desperate need of. The groan Malfoy let out as Harry rutted against him caused Harry’s head to swim.

“You still want this... You still want me,” Harry gasped out, unsurprised at the disbelief in his voice.

What did surprise him was the speed Malfoy moved at, fast enough that in his lust-induced daze, Harry had no chance of preventing it. He found himself face down on the tiled floor, Malfoy’s impressive bulge pressed into his denim-clad arse and hot breath puffing in his ear. He gave up on moving when his cursory attempt at throwing Malfoy off him only resulted in Malfoy’s knees slipping between Harry’s legs, spreading them wide.

“Malfoy’s don’t bottom, Potter.”

Harry let out an incomprehensible moan at the lust-roughened sound of Malfoy’s voice in his ear. He had only had one encounter with a man before this and it had been nearly 19 years ago, so he really did not care whether Malfoy’s bottomed or not, as long as this desperate need that was building in his groin was satisfied soon. Arching his back so his arse pressed into Malfoy’s throbbing cock earned him a chuckle.

“Seems I’m not the only one eager for this; you want me just as much as I want you, Potter,” Malfoy ground out, his voice deepened almost beyond recognition. Harry felt one of those long-fingered hands reach around to undo the fly of his jeans and only just stopped himself from thrusting into it. “Don’t hold back, Potter. I know you want me to fuck you senseless, so there’s no point in trying to hide it.”

The words seemed to release something in Harry’s mind; something that had been holding him back. Closing his eyes, he allowed his hips to jerk forward, groaning in pleasure as Malfoy cupped him through his jeans. Malfoy’s weight pressed him into the tiles for a few seconds before lifting off him, leaving him feeling cold. He was prevented from turning by a hand in the middle of his back, but looked over his shoulder anyway, needing to see what was going on behind him. The sight he got caused another deep groan to escape his throat: Malfoy had stripped his trousers halfway down his thighs and was kneeling between Harry’s spread legs, thick cock in hand.

“Like what you see, Potter? You’d better, because you’ll be getting all of it in a few seconds.”

Harry’s hands flew to the fly of his jeans, clumsy as they worked the buttons out of the loops. The fact that he was working against both the press of his own hard cock and the tiles beneath him didn’t help and he grunted in frustration as he raised his arse so he could work his hands properly beneath him. The second he managed to get his fly undone and began to try to work the jeans down his hips, he found his hands roughly yanked away and the jeans stripped down to his ankles.

“Too slow,” Malfoy grunted, before muttering the preparations charms and entering Harry in one quick thrust.

“Fuck, fuck, _fuck!_ ”

Harry could not help the automatic clenching of his muscles as his body fought against having Malfoy lodged so quickly inside him. His fingers curled and he clawed against the tiles in an attempt to find purchase, although what he would do if he managed to find it, he had no idea. The jeans still around his ankles were kicked off as Harry’s feet mirrored his hands, kicking uselessly against the slippery tiles. Unfortunately, this only gave Malfoy the opportunity to spread Harry’s knees wider, opening him up further and making it seem as though he was being filled much more thoroughly. The grinding of Malfoy’s hips against his arse caused Harry to let out what sounded like a small whimper to his ears.

“Am I _big enough_ for you now, Potter?” Malfoy’s voice was strained in Harry’s ear, almost as though he was holding himself back. “Am I enough to fulfil that hunger you have for a cock _big enough_ to satisfy you?”

Now that the initial pain and panic were fading, Harry was able to recognise that at least some of what he had assumed was pain from Malfoy’s sudden entry was a deep and desperate _need_ for the kind of satisfaction Malfoy was offering him. It was something he had denied feeling back in school and had suppressed when he had married Ginny all those years ago, but the fire blazing brightly in his belly was something that Harry was now determined to quench. Clenching his muscles very deliberately this time, he arched his back in offering.

“Fuck me.”

Harry took the deep grunt Malfoy gave in response as acquiescence, as it was swiftly followed by his hips pulling out and snapping back in. His breath huffed out of him as he slid on the tiles with the force of Malfoy’s movement combined with the sharp jab of pain in his nearly-virgin arse. The second thrust hit him from another angle, but did not lessen the pain of being filled so completely in an area that Harry still considered slightly wrong. They continued in this vein for a little while, Malfoy testing out different angles and Harry attempting to not cry out in pain, until the angle seemed to be just right. Pleasure shot through every single one of Harry’s straining nerve endings, causing his entire body to tremble. He was vaguely aware of Malfoy freezing on top of him before he felt the head of that thick cock dragging – seemingly deliberately – across his prostate again. Harry shuddered in pleasure, his back arching of its own accord.

“Like that do you, Potter? Always figured you for a needy little cockslut,” Malfoy ground out as he slowly dragged against Harry’s prostate again, causing the most embarrassing series of noises to escape Harry’s throat. “I’ll show you what a _real_ fucking is.”

Keeping to the angle that caused Harry to see stars, Malfoy began thrusting, falling rapidly into a rhythm. Harry, for his part, squirmed and mewled, pressing back into the thrusts to take as much of that hard cock as he could, not caring what he must look like. The entire world seemed to narrow down to the now almost painful fire burning in his groin and the thick cock striving to quench that fire. Working a hand beneath him, he got a good hold on his own straining cock and tugged, the pleasure coursing through him causing more needy groans to be dragged out of his throat. He was getting close, if the ache in his balls was any indication and his hand sped up in an attempt to hurry himself along. Not that he wanted the pleasure to end, but the build-up was going to kill him if he did not satisfy it soon.

“Gods, yes... C’mon, c’mon,” he moaned, completely unaware that he had spoken aloud. “ _Yes!_ ”

With one last twist of his wrist, Harry felt his balls draw up, his orgasm following swiftly behind. Splattering his hand and the tiles beneath him with rope after rope of hot cum, Harry ground his hips back into Malfoy, milking the experience for every last bit of pleasure he could. It almost shocked him when he heard a deep groan form behind him and he felt his insides being coated with Malfoy’s release. What did not surprise him was being almost crushed beneath Malfoy’s weight as he landed on top of him the second his cock stopped spasming. Their breath mingled for a little while – Harry was unaware of the passage of time in his post-orgasmic bliss – before Malfoy seemed to gather himself. Harry stayed exactly where he was, face-down on the cool tiles, as he felt a cleansing charm wash over him. It was not until he heard the click of Malfoy’s shoes on the tiles that he stirred, flipping over onto his back.

“It’s a real shame I have no need for a desperate closet-case, Potter: you’d fit the role perfectly.” Harry blinked rapidly, trying to bring Malfoy into focus. “However, perhaps I’ll throw you a _bone_ if I get desperate enough myself in the future.”

The sneered words were accompanied by the tinkling of a couple of coins Malfoy tossed onto Harry’s chest before turning on his heel and stalking out of the restroom. Humiliation prickled Harry’s skin as the reality of what he had just done broke through the happy bubble of bliss that had surrounded him for a few minutes. He had just offered himself up like a common whore to _Draco Malfoy_ ; he had cheated on his wife and he had _enjoyed_ it. Swearing profoundly as he scrambled for his discarded clothing, Harry’s mind raced, trying to come up with an adequate reason for the amount of time he had just spent in a public toilet.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for the reviews, here's the promised second chapter :)

“Let me get that, Ginny; you go help Lily.”

_Yeah, that’s it, Harry; act guilty, she’ll never see through that_ , Harry scolded himself as he stood to take over the dishes that night. Ginny didn’t seem to think anything was amiss, though; she just offered him a grateful smile before moving off into the living room to help Lily clean the mess she had made. _Grateful; she thinks nothing’s wrong!_ How _could you have done this to her? She has faithfully loved you for the past 19 years and you threw it all away for a few minutes of pleasure with_ Malfoy _?_

His thoughts trailed off as his arse gave a throb, reminding him of exactly how much he had enjoyed those few minutes. He had Healed himself as best as he could, but casting Healing charms on himself was something Harry had never been able to master properly. Of course, he could have taken a pain potion... He grimaced as he realised that he actually _liked_ the painful reminder of what had happened; that he was still getting pleasure out of it. He did not know if he should be worried about just how easy it had been for Malfoy to turn him on; his sex life with Ginny had never been spectacular, and it had basically dried up after Lily’s birth, with the exception of their anniversary and his birthday. It had never occurred to him to worry before – as he had simply taken care of his needs through porn movies and dirty magazines – but it did seem a little odd now that he thought about it. Happily married couples found each other sexually attractive; he knew that from the couple of times he had gotten an inadvertent eyeful of Ron and Hermione when they were younger. So what was wrong with him? Wiping his hands on a tea towel – washing the dishes by hand had always helped to relax him – he came to a swift decision.

The sight that greeted him in the living room should have been enough to get him going again; it’s not like he was too old to come twice in one day. Ginny was bent over the back of the lounge, laughing at something Lily had said, presenting her nicely rounded arse to his determinedly eager eyes. She had gained some amazing curves after three pregnancies, but the strict diet and training regime she had followed whilst she had still been playing for the Harpies had prevented her from gaining the kind of weight her mother had. Smiling as he moved to wrap his arms around his wife’s middle, Harry was pleased when he heard the small, surprised gasp that escaped her as she straightened into his arms. Perhaps there was nothing wrong with him, after all.

“How you doing, Gin?” His voiced was pitched low so Lily would not hear him, but he knew Ginny had by the widening of her eyes as he subtly ground his hips into her arse. “Up for a bit of play?” The look that flashed through Ginny’s warm brown eyes told Harry everything he needed to know without her needing to respond verbally.

“I’m sorry Harry, but I have a really early morning tomorrow. I have to get Lily back to mum’s, then go off to work myself in Holyhead; I’m covering the Harpies games this season, remember?” Harry both saw the pleading in her eyes and heard it in her voice, which told him one thing: she did not want him. “Maybe this weekend when I get back, yeah?”

“Yeah... yeah, sure,” Harry agreed quietly through the confusion now fogging his mind. “I might just go up and shower now, get an early night myself.”

Frowning as he attempted to sort out what had just happened, Harry could not help wondering if the look he had seen flare in Ginny’s eyes was relief. She loved him, of that he was absolutely certain, but whether it was the all-consuming, passionate, can’t-live-without-you kind of love he had always craved was another thing altogether. Ginny was one of his best friends and he had absolutely no desire to hurt her in any way, but what if this need Malfoy had stoked in his stomach was something more than curiosity? He had, after all, spent quite a bit of time fantasising about Malfoy’s arse back when he was a teenager, much more so than any female he had fantasised about. What if he was bisexual? What if he was gay? What if...

He sighed as he reached the relative isolation of the bedroom, shaking the thoughts from his mind. It was a real shame Ginny had turned him down, as a good fuck was exactly what it felt like he needed at the moment. Scrubbing a hand through his hair, he decided that the only way that that was going to happen was if he hired someone, and he was not quite that desperate just yet. He grabbed the hidden bottle of lube on his way to the bathroom, knowing his hand was his only real option. His clothing landed on the floor, showing his progress through the two rooms. Before he turned the water on in the shower, Harry stood in front of the full-length mirror, taking his first proper look at himself in the mirror for a while.

_I’m not that bad; at least not compared to some of the older Aurors I’ve seen. I don’t have that many scars, that burn mark has healed nicely and I’ve still got all of my natural hair. I haven’t even gotten fat._ Why _doesn’t she want me?_ Aware that he was pretty much going around in circles, he shook his head, tossed his glasses onto the vanity and focussed on his immediate needs.

The water in the shower beat down on his back as he closed his eyes and pictured himself playing with a ridiculously large pair of boobs. His limp cock twitched in vague interest, but he thought nothing of it: it always took a bit for him to get properly hard. Running a hand up his stomach, he pinched a nipple, teasing it into a peak slowly as he continued to fantasise about the faceless woman with the absurdly large breasts. He was just reaching for the lube when his arse gave another throb, sending the memory of how it felt to have Malfoy buried deep inside him to the forefront of Harry’s mind. His breath stuttered through him and he let out a loud groan as he hardened rapidly.

_No, this isn’t right. I shouldn’t be getting off to thoughts of Malfoy, especially after what happened today!_

However, he discovered that it could not be helped. Apparently if he wanted to have a decent wank that night, it would have to involve those memories somehow, as he began to lose interest the second he tried to convince himself to fantasise about something else. Coating his hand with the slippery lube, Harry focussed on the sensation of being filled so completely, on having someone else’s hand on his hard cock, on the deeper-than-he-was-used-to moans in his ear. A rather desperate need was building in his stomach and Harry thought it felt different to the usual ‘Oh Gods, I need to come’ feeling he was familiar with. It took a few seconds, but he finally realised when else he had felt the same thing. Coating the first finger of his free hand with lube in resignation, he held his breath as he probed at his sore arse, needing to feel that rush of pleasure from a well-timed strike to his prostate.

It was slow going at first, as the skin of his arse was still sensitive from the beating it had taken from Malfoy. It took a few tries, but he eventually managed to break the tip of his finger through the ring of muscle without hurting himself further. His muscles clenched automatically, once again trying to eject the intruder, but Harry ignored it, pressing forward with determination. He had no real idea what he was doing, but figured if he could just wriggle his finger around in there, then maybe he might get lucky, so to speak. Probing around inside himself as he stroked his other hand languidly along his hard cock actually felt quite good just on its own and he got into a rhythm quickly. He decided to keep to just one finger, considering the fact that there was absolutely no way he would go to a Healer for any injuries he inadvertently caused. Images of Malfoy stroking his thick cock flashed through Harry’s mind, causing his breath to hitch and his hand to speed up on his cock. The memory continued, but flashed forward to the second Malfoy had first hit that sweet spot. Harry concentrated, hooked his finger and pressed it forward. His knees buckled and he nearly fell to the floor of the shower as he hit just the right spot. Finding he needed the extra support, he leant against the cool tiles in front of him as he thrust his finger in again.

“Oh, oh Gods,” he groaned as he hips jerked forward of their own accord. He wriggled his finger, rubbing again and again across his prostate, barely breathing as sharp shocks of pleasure continued to buckle his knees. “Please, please... Yes... Oh, Gods!”

His pleasure crested with one last stroke up his aching cock and he cried out as he began to come. The thick ropes of cum shot up the wall, over his hand and up his chest. Needing to get as much out of this experience as possible, he removed his finger from his arse and roughly massaged his balls, squeezing all the pleasure out of his orgasm as he could manage. Still barely breathing, he slid down the wall to the floor of the shower, his eyes shut tight and softening cock still in hand. Instead of the usual mindless nothing that followed his orgasms, his mind was now racing with the new information he had just discovered about himself.

_I just had the best wank in years while thinking about Draco Malfoy’s cock up my arse. Is it possible to be gay and not know it? No, no you’re married to your best friend; you can’t be gay._ He sat back on his heels, staring down at himself as a thought niggled in the back of his mind. _Just because she’s your best friend, doesn’t mean you love her; not like that, anyway._

Harry attempted to push the shot of guilt that flared in his chest away as he forced himself up from the floor and quickly washed away any traces of what he had just done. He knew there was no use indulging that guilt, as there was no way he could be gay and not know it; the very idea was ridiculous! The fact that Malfoy wasn’t the only man he had had sex with was also pushed aside as it occurred to him: he had been young, drunk and riding on the high of his defeat of Voldemort. It had been a one-time thing, not something he wanted to continue, right?

He dragged on a pair of pyjama bottoms after casting a hasty drying charm over himself and made his way back out into the bedroom. Ginny was already in bed in her customary position: curled up on her side of the bed, her back facing to Harry and obviously feigning sleep. Annoyance joined the guilt in his chest as he stood staring at her back, knowing that he probably should have been questioning this marriage for a long time now. Even if he wasn’t sure of his own sexuality anymore, he knew for a fact that Ginny was straight, yet she had been rejecting him sexually for years now.

“G’night, Gin,” he murmured as he climbed into the bed, only to receive a small grunt in response.

_Gods, this is so fucked up._

*~*

“You’re in a particularly good mood tonight.”

Draco allowed his lips to curl up at the corners in a small smile at the sound of Astoria’s voice, but kept his eyes pinned on the reddish-brown liquid swirling around in the glass he was holding. “Yes; fantastic sex will do that for a man.”

“Hmm, I figured you’d gotten laid at the station. Anyone I know?”

“Indeed I did and _that_ is none of your business.” He took a slow sip of his Firewhiskey, enjoying the burn as it slid down to his stomach. “Unless, of course, you’d like a blow-by-blow account?”

“Pfft, a blowjob isn’t sex Draco, and you know it.” Draco smiled properly at that as his eyes finally left his glass to lock with hers as she moved towards him. “Come on, move over; I’ve got nothing going at the moment, so I’ll have to live vicariously through you.”

Draco watched as his wife folded herself elegantly onto the opposite end of the lounge he was sitting on. Beautiful, intelligent, quick-witted and ambitious, Astoria Greengrass was everything a Malfoy man should need. Unfortunately for Draco, she was the wrong sex. She had always been the rebel of her pure-blood family, having been Sorted into Ravenclaw, but it had been her declaration at the age of 22 that she never wanted to marry that had been the tipping point for her parents. Under threat of being disinherited, she had come to Draco with a proposal: she would give him the heir he needed in exchange for a discreetly open marriage. It had been the perfect solution for Draco, whose parents had been threatening to go through with an arranged marriage with an old family friend’s daughter, which would have meant he had to move to France, as the chit could not bear to leave her family. He got to continue his family name, Astoria had a ‘proper’ husband and they both got to continue sleeping with whichever man caught their fancy; it was completely win-win. He blinked when she snapped her fingers in front of his face.

“Hurry up and spill, Malfoy; I haven’t got all night.” She grinned as he rolled his eyes.

“He’s incredibly fit, in both senses of the word. Nicely toned, but not overly-muscled; a perfect, tight arse; and those reactions...” Draco trailed off, the sound of Potter’s moans as he pounded into his prostate filling his mind. “Definitely worth the wait.”

“Don’t suppose he has a straight brother?” The lascivious grin Astoria shot him had Draco smiling back.

“No, you’re out of luck there: he still seems to think he’s completely straight himself.” He downed the rest of the whiskey, enjoying the burn as the idea of corrupting Potter further flittered through his mind.

“You aim to convince him otherwise?”

He smiled again as he stood to refill his glass, potential scenarios racing through his mind. “We’ll see.”


	3. Chapter 3

“A second boy in Gryffindor, Harry? Congratulations!”

Harry’s cheeks had not stopped aching for the past week, as the wide smile he had worn had not left him since he had gotten word that Al had been Sorted into Gryffindor. Turning the smile on the man before him, Harry grasped the offered hand and shook it enthusiastically. He had come to terms with the fact that his life would always be fascinating to those who did not know him and he had managed to keep the press as far away from his children as he could as a result, but he knew that there were simply some things he would have to accept. Apparently which House each of his kids got into was worthy of at least half a front page of the _Prophet._

“Thanks so much,” he responded, still grinning like an idiot. “He was worried he wouldn’t get in; I’m so proud of him.”

“Ah, with parents like his, there was no real doubt, huh?” The force of the slap on his shoulder caused Harry to wince a little and wonder why it was that men had to show their enthusiasm with physical violence. “Don’t suppose you’re heading into the cafeteria?”

“Er, no actually. I’ve just come out.”

Harry offered up his ‘polite public smile’ and disengaged his hand, trying to subtly rub his knuckles. He allowed the man to wander into the cafeteria by himself, as his mention of he and Ginny as a couple had brought the other reason Harry was so determinedly focussed on his sons at the moment to the front of his mind, causing his chest to ache with a combination of pain and anger. He had been monitoring Ginny’s reactions to him over the past week and, while she was not hostile to him at all, he had noticed that there was a definite distance between them: she obviously did not like him touching her and seemed to be going to great lengths to avoid it; the promised sex had never happened, with Ginny claiming a headache and apologising profusely; even simple things like spending the day alone together turned awkward fairly quickly. Her reactions to him and the feelings associated with his encounter with Malfoy had had Harry questioning the state of his marriage and his own sexuality more and more over the past week. He had discovered that it was damn near impossible for him to control his body’s reactions to the memories, which had nearly led to some incredibly embarrassing situations; he had found himself extremely grateful that his desk didn’t have an open front. A derisive snort dragged Harry out of his thoughts and he turned to find one of the causes of his problems smirking at him from the top of the small set of stairs in front of him.

“I highly doubt you’ll ever be able to come to terms with yourself enough to ‘come out’, Potter.” Malfoy was leaning up against the wall at the top of the stairs, arms and legs crossed casually in a pose that Harry thought he must have known showed off the cut of his expensive-looking robes perfectly as they flowed around his trim form. “Although, I’m sure I could probably be persuaded to help you along with that, if asked nicely enough.”

The man Harry had been speaking to was swiftly forgotten as a white-hot anger flashed through his chest. Clenching his fists by his sides as he mounted the first of the steps that would lead him to Malfoy, Harry focussed on keeping his breathing even. He was not a hormonal teenager anymore and he _could_ control his temper in the face of simple verbal taunts, even if they were coming from the one man Harry had felt the urge to beat senseless in years. His trouble was that Malfoy was also apparently the only person who had the ability to light a fire in his stomach; a fire that was beginning to flare even now.

“What the fuck are you doing here, Malfoy?” Harry was impressed that he had managed to keep his voice relatively even, despite the mix of emotions flooding through him. “It’s not enough for you to have completely humiliated me, but you have to show up to make my work life miserable as well?”

“I don’t recall you sounding miserable when you were begging me to fuck you.” Malfoy’s voice was low as Harry made the top of the stairs, sending a shiver up his spine that Harry tried to ignore. “What’s wrong, did you miss your post-coital snuggles? I’m afraid that was never really my style. Have you tried asking the Weaselette?”

Harry was unaware of making the decision to strike Malfoy, but enjoyed the pain that flashed in his knuckles when they connected with the bastard’s mouth. Following as Malfoy staggered backwards, Harry grabbed two handfuls of his robes, slamming him up against the wall.

“I’m. _Not_. Gay,” he snarled, although who he was trying to convince was apparently up for debate, as lust shot through him once again. “What you did to me –”

“I did nothing you didn’t want and you know it,” Malfoy interrupted, his tongue flicking out to smear the spot of blood Harry had created over his lips. “We both know that if you could charge me with anything, I’d be in locked up in Azkaban right now for violating the Chosen One, so stop with the holier-than-thou attitude, will you?”

Harry found that he had to admire the cocky twist to Malfoy’s lips as he snarled the words, despite his position. Most men would be shitting themselves if they had been pinned up against a wall with an angry Auror threatening them – especially if said Auror was Harry – but not Malfoy. Brimming with overconfidence, Malfoy merely sneered at Harry as he tightened his grip on the robes in his hands, feeling stitches ripping apart with the pressure. Following his instincts, Harry closed the gap between the two of them, breathing deeply as the scent of Malfoy’s cologne surrounded him; musky with a hint of spice that had Harry pressing closer for a completely different reason.

“Mmm, are you absolutely certain in that self-assessment? Because _this_ tends to indicate otherwise.

Harry sucked in a sharp breath as one of Malfoy’s hands slid down the small gap between them and brushed against his hardening cock. The sound seemed to embolden Malfoy, as the next thing Harry knew, he was being groped in public for the first time in many, many years. His head swam with lust, causing his eyes to flutter closed as Malfoy’s massaging hand rapidly brought him to his full length. Distracted as he was, Harry only just barely had time to open his eyes as the sound of shoes clicking down the hall reached his ears. Malfoy moved much faster than Harry, shoving him sideways then forward through a door just to Harry’s right.

“What the – Where are we?” Harry demanded as he stumbled to a stop, silently cursing himself for allowing things to get so out of hand.

“I’d have thought _you_ of all people, Potter, would recognise a closet when you were in one.”

Harry straightened, only to find himself pinned up against the wall with Malfoy pressing into him, a hungry look in his eyes Harry had not seen directed at him in too long. “I’m not – not...”

“Can’t even deny it properly, can you Potter?”

Harry grunted as he was spun around to face the wall, Malfoy’s body pressing into him from behind. Unable to help himself, he ground his hips backwards, revelling in the sharp intake of breath it resulted in. He did not get to enjoy the sensation for long, as Malfoy jerked his hips forward, pressing Harry back up against the wall again.

“Needy. Little. Cockslut.” Lost in his own need, Harry could only groan in response. “This is something you’ve been wanting for years, isn’t it? You crave the ache in your arse; that sharp jab of pain that reminds you of exactly what it is you’ve done whenever you sit down. Tell me, Potter, is it _me_ you’ve been thinking of in the shower every morning? Do you wake up in the middle of the night, hard and aching for me?” Malfoy’s long, elegant fingers had been hard at work, ridding them both of their trousers and moving Harry’s robes out of the way, bunching them under his arms.

“Gods, just shut up and fuck me already,” Harry gasped out, hating how breathy his voice had become.

“Answer me.”

The command in Malfoy’s voice sent shivers straight through Harry, deteriorating his tightly held control just that little bit more. “Yes, alright? I want this,” he admitted as Malfoy’s thick cock rubbed teasingly against his entrance. “I want... I want _you_ to fuck me.”

The truth having finally been spoken, Harry leant his burning forehead against the cool rendered wall in front of him, humiliation seeping through every pore. It was something Harry had questioned himself over the past week: whether it was specifically Malfoy he wanted, or just men in general. He had never felt the urge to molest any of the other Aurors when he had seen them naked in the locker room over the years, but that could have just been because none of them were his type. Malfoy was so different to any of them, with his pale skin and lean build, but it wasn’t his looks that Harry found himself fantasising about at night. The elegant poise Malfoy always displayed combined with the fact that he took none of Harry’s shit was what really got him going. Ginny had always just gone along with whatever Harry had wanted, but Malfoy challenged him at every turn; he always had.

“There, was that too hard to admit?”

Harry bit his tongue to prevent himself from Silencing Malfoy, as the sneering voice dragged him further out of his warm pool of lust. “Get on with it, then.”

He knew he should not have been surprised at the swiftness of Malfoy’s movements – especially considering how quickly he had been entered the first time – but Harry couldn’t prevent the shocked sound that ripped from his throat as the head of Malfoy’s cock breached him. Despite the preparation charms Malfoy had cast, Harry was not ready for the sharp jab of pain that accompanied Malfoy’s entrance again and he jerked forward in an unconscious effort to get away from him. This resulted in Malfoy’s hands grasping hold of his hips and jerking Harry backwards, burying himself deeper in the process. A shaky breath huffed against Harry’s ear when Malfoy finally settled himself completely inside him with a last thrust.

“Stop wriggling, Potter.”

It sounded to Harry as though Malfoy’s teeth were clenched and it was that he focussed on to distract himself. “A little overexcited are we, Malfoy? Wanted this a little too much after the last time, huh? Seems I’m not the only one desperate for it, then.”

“Spread your legs,” Malfoy responded with a growl to his voice that had Harry shivering. Instead of waiting for Harry to comply, Malfoy nudged his legs apart with his own knees, spreading Harry a little wider. “Mmm, better... Gods, you’re so _tight_.”

Harry had to wonder if Malfoy even knew he was speaking aloud as he let out another unsteady breath in Harry’s ear. When his experimental squeeze of his muscles received a deep moan and a small thrust of Malfoy’s hips, he had to come to the conclusion that Malfoy had no idea what he was either saying or doing. He squeezed his muscles again, finding he enjoyed Malfoy’s seemingly instinctual reactions. Of course, the fact that he was now silent could only be a bonus, Harry figured as he arched his back.

“ _Move_ ,” he groaned as he felt Malfoy sliding inside him.

Apparently Malfoy’s hearing had not been affected by whatever had stolen his voice, because Harry’s demand was met by a sharp thrust of his hips. He hissed at the sensation, fighting his natural reaction to push Malfoy away. Harry had no idea what to do with his hands as Malfoy began to move properly, firstly clenching his fists against the wall, then using his forearms to balance so he wouldn’t bash his head against the wall. The decision was taken from him as Malfoy finally hit his prostate: one flew down to clench on his throbbing cock, the other moving behind him to grab hold of Malfoy’s arse, holding him in place. The deep chuckle in his ear had the hairs on the back of Harry’s neck standing up.

“Right _there_ , Potter?” Malfoy’s voice was ragged as he panted in Harry’s ear, causing lust to swim dizzyingly through Harry’s mind. “This is what you’ve really been craving, isn’t it?”

Harry nodded, his breath coming in gasps too sharp for him to respond verbally. Malfoy thrust in again – slower this time – hitting Harry’s prostate again. Arching his back in silent response, Harry encouraged Malfoy the only way he knew how: he wriggled his arse, pressing as close as he could get. This earned him another low chuckle as Malfoy began to move properly. His hand sped up on his cock as Malfoy found his rhythm, hitting that sweet spot every second thrust or so. Harry knew he would have bruises to Heal on his hips from Malfoy’s nails as they clenched harder and harder on his hips the closer he got to orgasm. It seemed to take an even shorter amount of time for Harry’s pleasure to peak this time – or he was enjoying it more and didn’t want it to end – but he was spurting hot jets of cum up over his hand and the wall in front of him long before he wanted to. Surprise rocked through Harry’s chest as he heard a grunt from behind him and Malfoy stilled a few seconds later, his hips thrusting forward in short, sharp jerks as he emptied himself into Harry.

“Gods, that was...” Harry groaned, then paused, not knowing how to phrase it.

Unable to hold both himself and Malfoy up, he sagged against the wall, slowly sliding down to the floor as he felt Malfoy slipping out of him. He glanced over to see that Malfoy’s eyes had closed as he leant back against the opposite wall, breathing heavily. Harry took the opportunity to properly examine Malfoy while he could, wondering just what it was that made him seek out _Harry_ of all people. Despite Harry not thinking Malfoy was particularly good-looking, he had heard the way the women around the office had spoken about him over the years, so he figured that the world at large must consider him attractive. Which only made the question of ‘why me’ all the stranger in Harry’s mind. There was always the chance that this would turn out to be some kind of payback; an elaborate scheme to embarrass him for the way he had treated him in school.

Fighting against his natural inclination to simply fall asleep, Harry forced himself to his feet, making sure to cast a thorough cleaning charm over the both of them as he straightened his clothes. Meeting Malfoy’s still-glazed eyes as he stood over him, Harry merely nodded before opening the door and making good his escape.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter took so long! Feel free to come back on and give me a kick if I take too long again :)

_It was a stupid idea, a really fucking_ stupid _idea from the start and you knew it!_

Draco scowled down into the cauldron before him, nearly twenty years of professional brewing experience the only thing that was preventing him from messing the potion up. He knew he had given way too much away the previous day when he had tracked Potter down _and_ that Potter had noticed. The crush that Draco had had on Potter in school had been just that: a school-boy crush on what amounted to a celebrity. Those kinds of feelings never lasted and they never developed into something else. At least, that was what he had been telling himself very firmly since he had dragged himself up off the floor of that damn closet; the closet that he had cornered Potter in a mere week since their first encounter. He had _never_ gone back for seconds so soon after a first time with someone, preferring to keep himself distant from his partners. Every single other time he had become involved with another man over the course of his 13 year marriage it had been planned; almost a formal arrangement. They satisfied each other’s needs, then went on their merry ways. Draco had resigned himself to never having a loving relationship with a man – not that he had ever thought he would find someone who could accept him after everything that had happened during the War – but now... _Now_ his stomach fluttered every time he thought of Potter and it was simply unacceptable!

_Malfoy men are supposed to be cold and aloof; we don’t have_ feelings _for one night stands! That’s all he is; a one-night stand. He means nothing to you other than what he can do for you. You_ do not _have feelings for him._

He put the potion under stasis and thunked his head down on the table as images of how happy and un-aloof he had been for the rest of the day after his encounter with Potter flashed through his mind. This was not something he needed to be dealing with – again – at this time of year. The early orders for Christmas had started coming in at the start of the month, which is what he was _supposed_ to be focussing on, not bloody Harry Potter’s fine arse! He was definitely not going to be distracted by the fact that it was firm and muscled and hot and so _tight_ around him...

“Damn it!”

Standing quickly, Draco swept his arm across the table in front of him, pushing the potion ingredients onto the floor in a display of temper he rarely allowed himself these days. His stomach had swooped with lust at the memory, leaving his hands trembling slightly. This was not good. He had never felt anything for any of his other conquests over the years, _why_ would Potter be any different? Ignoring the small voice telling him that he had been fantasising about Potter for most of his life, he waved his wand over the mess on the floor, cleaning the ingredients and broken phials with a thought. Taking a deep breath to compose himself, he came to a swift decision.

“You’re going to stay away from him. Make a clean break and everything will go back to normal. You don’t want him, you don’t need him, and you definitely _don’t_ have feelings for him. Avoid him, go back to your own life and everything will be fine.”

Whether ‘normal’ was what he wanted anymore was not a question Draco was prepared to answer as he bowed his head, his hands resting on the tabletop. He would avoid Potter and everything to do with him in order to restore some semblance of order to his life again. Forever if necessary.

*~*

Harry sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose in an attempt to ward off the threatening headache. He knew that Kingsley didn’t make things difficult for him on purpose, but it often felt that way, especially when the Minister dumped another seemingly pointless task in Harry’s lap. Frustration tensed his shoulders as he made his way slowly back from Kingsley’s office, having just received a right bollocking over a case that was supposed to have been closed the week before. Unfortunately, there was no way for him to relieve that frustration, no matter what his libido was telling him. A quick wank in the toilets wasn’t going to do much for him, not when his mind kept forcing the image of Malfoy lying on the floor of that bloody closet – panting, sated and the most open Harry had ever seen him – in front of his eyes every time he closed them. Not that he _wanted_ to be fantasising about Malfoy in that kind of position at all, but there was little he could do about it. Especially considering Ginny had not been giving him anything else to fantasise about recently.

Swallowing a bitter chuckle as he slammed his fist against the button that would call the elevator, Harry wondered if it would be a misuse of his authority to set one of his juniors to tail his wife. The situation had degenerated far enough that the relationship between them was hardly recognisable as the happy, supposedly loving one they had started with 19 years previously. He knew how incredibly hypocritical it was of him to suspect that Ginny had been cheating on him, but the signs were all there: the distance between them, her not wanting to be touched, a severe lack of sex, and now she had spent the night away from him with extremely short notice. Things like this had been going on for years, but Harry had just accepted it – gone along with whatever his wife wanted to make her happy – but no longer. If she _was_ cheating on him, he would find out. In the meantime, he would have himself some much-needed fun.

His suspicions over what Ginny had been doing behind his back for years had only increased the night before when he got home to a note from her telling him that Lily was with Molly and Arthur for the night, because she had been detained back in Holyhead for the night. A note! She hadn’t even bothered firecalling to tell him in person, which would have been the polite thing to do. Oh no; his _loving, caring_ wife had left him a fucking _note_ telling him where his daughter was. Of course, Molly and Arthur had been incredibly understanding about Harry showing up without notice to collect Lily without having showered or changed out of his work clothes. Their relationship had never really changed since he had been a child; they saw him as their son and they had been the strongest parental figures in Harry’s life for years. If he was forced to think about it, he actually felt more guilt over the state of his marriage because of what they would think of him if he and Ginny ended up divorcing rather than over Ginny herself.

Smiling at and acknowledging the people who spoke to him as he exited the elevator, Harry could feel a sharp pressure building up inside him. He knew he would have to find release _somehow_ and there was no way he was going to search out Malfoy – not that he _wanted_ to! – so he knew that there was only one thing for it. He hated to resign himself to having a wank at work, but there were no other real options left to him.

“Hey, boss?”

Harry’s head jerked up at the sound of Stephen Kirkwood’s voice. Kirkwood was one of Harry’s best investigators, specialising in tracking criminals down through the more Muggle methods of following paper trails and simple observance. The look currently in his eyes was usually reserved for discussions involving the tracing of a very important piece of evidence, but Harry knew he didn’t have any pressing jobs on his plate.

“Steve?”

“There’s someone in your office. We tried to stop him, but he was determined; said there was something particularly important he had to discuss with you.”

Harry noted the shiftiness of his eyes as he explained, causing suspicion to creep up his spine. “Who is it?”

“Please believe me, boss, we _did_ try to stop him.” Kirkwood shifted his weight, scrubbing a hand along the back of his neck with guilt in his eyes.

Despite the fact that Harry pretty much knew who it was that would greet him the second he stepped through his office door, he had to hear it first. He knew that almost everyone in the wizarding world had heard of his rivalry with Draco Malfoy, the ‘hated and feared Death Eater’ he had been in school with, but had thought his Auror team above believing the rumours that still circulated about the past between them. Drawing himself up to his – really not-so-impressive – full height, he sent a glare to Kirkwood, who flinched.

“Who. Is. It?”

“Draco Malfoy.”

*~*

Draco’s nerves twitched as he sat in Potter’s office chair, his feet propped up on the desk in front of him. He had decided to make a clean break from Potter; just come in, tell him what a mistake starting this thing was, and then never see him again. Not that there was a ‘thing’ to end, he quickly reminded himself: they had only had sex twice and not even kissed. There was no way he was going to allow himself to continue to meet with a man who stirred these kinds of feelings inside him, but he had also never allowed himself to be crass enough to simply never contact a man again. He needed to give Potter an explanation – even if it was complete bullshit – and make a proper break with him, just in case he ever had need of him again in the future. There was no point in alienating the Head Auror further than he already had. The crashing open of the door made him jump, startling him out of his thoughts.

Potter stormed in through the door, slamming it closed behind him. Stopping in the middle of the room, his arms crossed across his chest as he glared down at Draco, sending sharp jolts of lust shooting through Draco’s stomach. Clad in his full Auror regalia, Potter certainly was a sight to behold: form-fitting, practical black cargo pants with pockets for seemingly everything imaginable; a black button-up shirt that clung to his toned torso; the purple and white robes of the Aurors who were on desk-duty almost seemed an afterthought, but added to the overall effect nicely. Shaking his head to rid himself of the unwanted thoughts, Draco made to stand up from the desk, but was prevented when Potter moved, much faster than Draco had seen him move since he had been snatching the snitch from Draco’s fingertips.

Instead of the beating Draco was becoming accustomed to at these meetings, the little fucker kissed him. _Actually kissed him!_ Startled as he was, all Draco could do was sit there as Potter mashed their mouths together enthusiastically. As first kisses went, this one was unfortunately on the wrong side of memorable. Their teeth clashed, Potter nearly kneed Draco in his haste to get closer, their noses bumped and the frames of Potter’s glasses pressed almost painfully into Draco’s cheekbones. Still, this was Harry Potter, the man Draco had been quite unwillingly fantasising about for years now and, despite everything, Draco could feel himself getting hard.

Waves of lust crashed through his body as Potter’s scent washed over him and he could feel his determination wavering, slipping with each little movement of Potter in his lap. He knew he had to stop this – his sense of self-preservation was apparently still stronger than the lust at that moment – but was incredibly unwilling. Weak, that’s what he was and he knew it; he always had been when it came to Potter. Even back in school, he had been unable to stop himself from getting the git’s attention and it seemed the hold Potter had over him had not lessened over the years. It was not until it felt like Potter had bit him that Draco managed to gather the strength to push him backwards.

“No, don’t... I want this... I want _you_.” The breathy tone to Potter’s voice sent delightful shivers through Draco’s stomach, but he ignored them in order to try to gather some of his scattered wits. “ _Please_. I know you want this just as much as I do.”

_No!_ “Yes... yes...” Draco couldn’t help the groan that escaped him as Potter spread his legs further and began rocking his hips, grinding their hardening cocks together. “Yes.”

Head swimming with lust, Draco closed his eyes, content to live out just a little part of the fantasy he had been so determined to deny himself that morning. He slid his hands down Potter’s neck to knead the hard muscles of his shoulders, slowly trying to memorise every inch of the man he had wanted for so long, as this was to be his last chance. Potter’s hands raking through his hair tilted Draco’s head back and caused his back to arch, pressing him closer to Potter’s rocking hips. His breath shuddered through him as his hands slipped further down to slide over the toned muscles of Potter’s chest, need making his fingers tremble just a little. _This_ was the same feeling that had caused him to lose control of himself the day before; the feeling that he should have been terrified of, but which he was craving. Being so open, so exposed before another man was something Draco hadn’t allowed himself since he had been a young man just out of Hogwarts, and the feeling of doing this with _Potter_ of all people was only enhancing the euphoria of the situation. He was dragged out of his happy fantasy world as Potter smashed their mouths together again. Pulling away, he shot Potter a glare as he ran his fingers gingerly along his lips, checking for blood.

“Has no one ever taught you anything, Potter? You kiss like an ape.”

He had waited half his bloody life to have Harry Potter willingly coming to him like this, there was absolutely no _way_ he was going to allow Potter himself to ruin the fantasy for him. He straightened, his mind swimming with lust once again as he felt Potter rubbing against him. _No, push him away. Stop this!_ He gripped Potter’s head and ran his thumbs across his cheekbones, pulling him forward slowly. Draco’s intention was to simply brush their lips together, but Potter leant forward and tried to force his tongue into Draco’s mouth again, panting with what was obviously lust.

“No, what are you...? Look, just _sit_ there. Don’t touch me, don’t do anything. Just sit there.” If he was to have the fantasy, then apparently he was going to have to work for it. _You shouldn’t be doing this._

Pushing aside the nagging voice, Draco ran his thumbs over Potter’s cheekbones once again. Deep green eyes met his as he pulled Potter towards him, lust clearly written in them. Draco was aware of the pure astonishment that shot through him when Potter allowed him to control their pace, but it was soon overshadowed by a desperate need to have more. The brush of those surprisingly soft lips against his caused Draco’s eyes to flutter closed and a small sigh to escape between them. Flicking his tongue out and over Potter’s lips produced a quiet moan, one that Draco was certain had come from the both of them at the same time. Potter’s mouth opened willingly when Draco pressed forward gently and he found himself overwhelmed with the taste of chamomile tea. He was allowed to enjoy the pleasurable sensation of having his tongue being sucked on by Potter for a few seconds before Potter’s hands slid down to cup his now quite insistent erection.

“Patience, Potter,” Draco gasped as he pulled back from the kiss, his eyes still closed.

“‘Patience’? For the past ten years, I have gotten laid on the exact same two days every single year. Twice a year for ten years, Malfoy. I don’t want to be patient: I want to be fucked.” Draco’s eyes flew open as Potter’s hand squeezed him, eliciting a deep groan from him. “And I want it to be you.”

The determination to end this that Draco had been just barely clinging onto evaporated in a matter of seconds after hearing that. Grabbing Potter’s head, he drew him into a harsh kiss as he began to move them up off the chair. He was unsure if Potter would be able to balance, but they managed to stand without having to break the kiss. Moving forward until he felt Potter’s legs hit the desk, Draco worked his leg in between Potter’s thighs and began to slowly spread his legs open, still pressing him backwards all the while. The small grunt Potter gave when Draco finally had him bent backwards over the desk, their legs tangled, vibrated through Draco’s chest, pushing him to go faster, further. Rocking his hips against Potter’s thigh resulted in not only a sharp jab of lust for Draco, but also in another deep groan from Potter. Keeping hold of his senses just long enough to cast strong locking and silencing charms at the door, Draco finally allowed himself to give in to the pulsing need driving him onwards.

“Oh, _fuck_ ,” Potter groaned as Draco’s hand slipped down to deal with his flies, brushing softly against the hard bulge he found there. “Yes, yes.”

Draco could feel Potter attempting to buck up into his hand, but the weight of Draco on top of him combined with the fact that his feet didn’t quite meet the floor in this position made it difficult. Smiling as he very deliberately brushed the palm of his hand over Potter’s straining cock, Draco took a few seconds to enjoy the sight of Potter lying beneath him, eyes closed and kiss-bruised mouth open and panting. He had never admitted it to himself before, but he knew now that Potter was the reason most of Draco’s conquests over the years had had black hair and light eyes. Shaking the thought from his mind, he stood, pleasure running through him again as Potter whined.

“Up, strip and lean against the desk.”

Backing off a few steps so Potter couldn’t reach him easily, Draco watched as his instructions were obeyed. As much as he hated to admit it, Potter had a quite impressive physique: strong, lightly muscled legs; firm – and deliciously tight – arse; and nicely tanned skin. Disappointment flittered through him when Potter didn’t disrobe completely; just hitching his robes up again as Draco had done the day before. It was quickly replaced by lust as he was presented with Potter’s arse. Stepping up to him, Draco ran a hand over his hip, revelling in the shiver produced when his hand ghosted lightly over the skin of Potter’s arse. Not wanting Potter to realise exactly how much he wanted this, he summoned all of his Malfoy-bred arrogance as he leant in to whisper in Potter’s ear.

“I don’t know why I bother with charity cases such as you, Potter; you’re yet to truly please me.” His hands were working on quickly getting his own flies undone, his need building with each passing second. “Tell me, does it burn for you to admit that _I_ am the only one who can satisfy you? That you crave my touch? That I can have you hot and hard and _begging_ for release in a matter of minutes?”

Draco had waited until the exact second Potter had tried to turn – to clobber him, no doubt – before muttering the preparation and lubricating charms and slamming home. His eyes squeezed shut as Potter’s tight heat surrounded him, his muscles contracting in an attempt to eject him. Lust clouded his mind as he stood there, seated deep inside Potter, little electric jolts shooting straight through his throbbing cock to build the fire now blazing in his stomach. Running completely on autopilot, Draco’s hands moved to knead Potter’s thighs and arse in an attempt to ease the pain of having him buried in him so quickly. Unable to prevent himself, he guided Potter’s legs into a more accommodating position, spreading them a little wider so he slid inside more securely. He was jerked out of his lust-caused haze by a strange-sounding noise from Potter.

“Malfoy?” His voice was rough as he glanced over his shoulder, giving Draco a look at his wide-blown pupils.

Almost snarling as he realised that Potter had once again seen something in him that he really did not wish to show him, Draco shot him a glare. “Shut up Potter,” he growled before pulling out and snapping his hips back in much rougher than he knew he should have. “If I wished to talk during sex, I would follow your sterling example and pretend to be straight.”

That jab seemed to do the trick, shutting Potter up as Draco began to move inside him. It didn’t take him long to find his rhythm this time, or Potter’s prostate. Now that he knew exactly which angle to aim for when standing behind Potter, he was fairly certain he could turn him into a quivering mess in just a couple of thrusts. However, as he was unsure how long Potter would be able to last when faced with such an onslaught, he held back. There was absolutely no sense in destroying this for himself if he made Potter come too early.

The combination of the oaky scent Potter seemed to favour combined with the musk of sex as Draco’s pace increased sent his head spinning with lust. One of his hands clenched automatically on Potter’s hip, but he was content to allow the other to wander, discovering exactly where to pinch, rub and tease to drag little whimpers and moans out of Potter. Light touches up his right rib made him shiver, as did repeating the action down his spine; tweaking his nipples did very little, however pinching them hard caused a groan to echo through the room. All of this was very fascinating to Draco, who had never before paid any attention to his partner’s reactions, but it was not until he brushed his fingers just behind Potter’s left ear that he really got a reaction. He froze as Potter bucked beneath him, unsure if he had accidentally hit his prostate, or if he really had discovered a true hotspot to exploit.

“Don’t fucking stop, you –” The insult was cut off with another deep groan as Draco brushed his fingers along the area behind Potter’s ear again. “ _Fuck_...”

The word was accompanied by a clenching of Potter’s muscles that stole Draco’s breath away, pushing him on towards orgasm much faster than anything he had done yet. The knowledge that he could bring Potter to this state in such a short amount of time sent a powerful feeling through Draco’s chest, one that he was totally unwilling to examine. He began to thrust in once more when Potter clenched around him again, deliberately this time. Forcibly relaxing the grip he had Potter’s hip, he muttered a lubricating charm again and reached around to weigh Potter’s full cock in his hand. Long and unbelievably hard, Draco couldn’t stop imagining himself swallowing him whole, having the thick head hit the back of his throat as Potter thrust into his mouth. It was with that image in his mind that Draco tipped over the edge, spilling his release deep inside Potter as his cock spasmed over and over again. He stroked his hand along Potter’s throbbing cock while his other hand brushed the spot behind his ear, needing to feel the contractions of Potter’s orgasm around him. Potter’s orgasm ripped through him in a matter of seconds, the contracting of his muscles squeezing the last few drops out of Draco’s softening cock. Collapsing on top of Potter as his legs finally gave way, Draco made certain to not slip out, quietly enjoying the heat surrounding his now overly-sensitive skin.

How long they stayed there in a sweat- and cum-slicked mess, Draco had no idea, but he was the first to recover his senses this time. Opening his eyes to discover that he had unconsciously nuzzled his face into the back of Potter’s neck – and that his mind was still swimming with lust for the man beneath him – sent a combination of fear, pain and disgust with himself through his chest. He had arrived with the intention of ending this and wound up in deeper than he had been before. Why, why, _why_ did it have to be Harry fucking Potter who had the power to make him lose control like this? Why could it not have been someone normal, someone who didn’t hate him; someone who was unafraid of his own sexuality? But no, that was the story of his life really: wanting something so desperately, but it was being held just out of reach by Harry Potter. With the only exception being that this time, it was Potter himself that Draco found himself desiring so intensely.

_That’s it_ , he thought as he carefully slipped out of Potter, cast cleaning charms over the two of them and prepared to leave. _This is not worth driving yourself mad over. This is the very last time you will allow this to happen._


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *.* I'm loving the Rich Text format! If this chapter looks a bit different to the others, that's why :)

Lying face down on his work desk with an aching arse and a deep satisfaction running through his twitching muscles, Harry only just barely managed to hold back a whine as Malfoy extracted himself from his body, disentangling their legs in the process. He had been particularly comfortable lying there with Malfoy’s weight pressing him into the hard wood of the desk, but was not going to let on just how comfortable. There was no way he was going to allow himself to give away just how much he wanted this – and how much he apparently also wanted Malfoy – just yet. The touch of a cleansing charm over him washed the sticky mess away from his sweat-slicked skin and, he hoped, from his robes as well. _That_ wasn’t something he was willing to have to explain to his teams if someone noticed. Opening his eyes when he heard Malfoy shuffling around beside him, confusion rushed through Harry’s mind when he saw that not only was Malfoy now fully dressed, but he also looked like he was preparing to leave again without a word.

 

“Malfoy?”

 

Harry knew it was possible to still hear the lust in his rough voice, but he was beyond caring at this point. He had questions – and a need to keep himself from falling asleep – so Malfoy was going to answer them. Whether he wanted to or not. Shoving against the desk, he managed to hoist himself into his chair without having to use very many of the muscles that still ached from their rather vigorous activities. When Malfoy didn’t bother to look at him even then, Harry frowned, unsure of exactly what was going on. It wasn’t until Malfoy ran his hands through his hair and glanced towards the door that Harry realised that he really was just going to leave again. _Wham, bam, thank you Harry. Well, no; I’m not hearing a thank you._

 

“Malfoy?”

 

Harry tucked himself back into his trousers gingerly and straightened his robes, watching Malfoy the entire time. He knew that he was not the best at reading other people, but he also knew he had seen something more than straight up lust on Malfoy’s face and that it had happened at least once before. Receiving the exact same look from the same man in the same situation had to mean that there was something going on beyond what was on the surface; even Harry could figure that much out. He had had the sneaking suspicion that this might be more to Malfoy than simple sex – was anything ever simple between the two of them? – but he had had no way of telling. The fact that Malfoy had tracked him down at work again the day after their last encounter _had_ to mean something, right? Hell, he had even taken to guiding Harry into positions that seemed to please him; people didn’t do that unless they were expecting to be in the same position later, did they? Biting back a growl of frustration, Harry shot Malfoy a glare when he moved towards the door.

 

“ _Draco!_ ” Harry grabbed his wand and cast a strong locking charm on the door – one only taught to field Aurors – preventing it from being opened without a complicated series of wand movements.

 

Harry’s use of Malfoy’s first name seemed to grab his attention, as he froze with his hand hovering above the handle of the door. Harry knew he had to have realised that the door wouldn’t open, not unless Harry wanted it to, but he did not move away from it. He didn’t even turn to Harry when he spoke, low and with a weariness Harry had not expected.

 

“Let me leave.”

 

“No.” Harry finished straightening his robes – _why_ did Aurors have to wear bloody robes? – and moved out into the centre of the room, arms crossed across his chest. “What is this?”

 

What Harry could see of Malfoy’s face flashed with something Harry couldn’t identify before he seemingly composed himself and let out a very un-Malfoy-like snort. “Sex, Potter, nothing more. And it won’t be continuing beyond today, so I do hope you’ve enjoyed yourself.” The biting sarcasm seemed much more in-character for Malfoy, but Harry was certain there was something more – something Hermione would have identified in a split second, no doubt – bubbling just below the surface, almost as though the sarcasm was a defence. “Now let me out.”

 

“Bullshit.”

 

“What?”

 

“‘Sex and nothing more’? That’s complete bullshit. If you wanted no-strings-attached-sex, you could’ve gone to any whorehouse you could find – magical or Muggle – and have what or whoever you wanted. You wouldn’t have come to _me_. Everyone in the wizarding world knows that Ginny and I have been married for 16 years and together for even longer than that,” he paused as his stomach clenched at the thought of his marriage, noticing that the sudden silence made Malfoy glance over his shoulder. He continued in a quieter voice, needing to force Malfoy to listen to him. “So it makes no sense for you to have come to me. I’ll give you that the first time was probably spontaneous, but you tracked me down _twice_ after that. It has to mean something.”

 

“No, it doesn’t.” Malfoy’s voice was just as quiet as Harry’s, leading to him taking a couple of – rather painful now that he allowed himself to feel it – steps towards him. “Sometimes sex is just sex. It doesn’t always have to mean something; there doesn’t always have to be feelings behind it other than ‘I need to get laid’. And this is never happening again, so what does it matter?”

 

Harry sighed as he scrubbed a hand through his hair. He had never been good with emotions, much preferring to focus on the physical aspects of everything; which was probably how he had gotten himself into this situation, now he thought of it. If he had not been so focussed on the physical pleasure of being with Malfoy, then it probably would have dawned on him that it was incredibly strange for Malfoy to go to _him_ for that kind of release. Sure, if he had had the urge to beat on someone, then Harry made sense, but sex? No, that part made no logical sense.

 

He knew that there was something Malfoy wasn’t saying, but he had no clue how to force him to admit whatever it was. After another few seconds of increasingly awkward silence, he made the decision to just let it go for the time being. He knew that this wouldn’t be the last time Malfoy came to him, although how, he had no idea. He took another couple of steps towards him, intending to simply lean past him and unlock the door, but Malfoy tensed, pressing his back against the door. Harry froze, unsure if Malfoy thought he was going to harm him. Automatically using his years of Auror training, Harry ran his eyes over Malfoy slowly, taking note of the tense stance, the wariness in his eyes and the clenching of his hand by his side. Was it possible Malfoy actually _wanted_ him? Could that have been what Harry had been seeing on his face in unguarded moments? He hesitated to call it true desire, but that was what it certainly looked like. It was the caution in Malfoy’s usually carefully guarded expression that caused Harry to come to a decision. He was going to lay his cards on the table and leave the decision up to Malfoy.

 

“Look, I have no idea how the hell your marriage works, but mine isn’t... well... I guess it simply _isn’t_. If that makes sense. I went on after the War and did the right thing: I married the girl I thought I loved, like everyone expected me to. Sure, it took a while for me to get it up, but I figured that was normal for me, since I’d never been with another woman before Ginny. Everything was nice and normal and I had no expectations of her other than having the kids I wanted so very badly...” He stopped as he realised just how pathetic he sounded, but now that he was finally voicing the suspicions he had over Ginny, he found it difficult to stop. “But it wasn’t until the station last week that I realised that there was something really _missing_ in my life. You brought back feelings and desires I’d repressed when I married Ginny; forced me to re-evaluate what it was I wanted. And what I’ve decided is that I want you.”

 

A brief look of pure need crossed Malfoy’s face before the iciness Harry was so used to returned full force. “You cannot honestly believe that, Potter. You don’t want me; you don’t even _like_ me. Now, stop being so foolish and let me leave.”

 

Taking another step closer to Malfoy, Harry watched him carefully, trying to take note of each change in his expression. “Sometimes sex is just sex, Malfoy,” he quoted with a smirk that caused Malfoy’s top lip to curl. “Why should you care if I truly want you or not? As long as you get off, what does it matter who it’s with?”

 

Harry watched, fascinated, as a range of emotions flashed across Malfoy’s face before he seemingly locked them down again. Surprise, want, confusion and, finally, fear followed swiftly behind each other, one by one. It was the fear that really captured Harry’s attention. What was Malfoy afraid of? It couldn’t be Harry himself: no matter that they had spent almost as much time fighting as they had fucking; Harry had not actually threatened him enough for him to really be afraid. Anyone else who Harry had treated like he had treated Malfoy the past two times they had seen each other would probably have an excuse to be afraid, but Malfoy had never really reacted to Harry with real fear before.

 

“What are you afraid of?” He had not meant to ask the question, but it was out of his mouth before he could stop it.

 

“‘Afraid’? ‘Want’? Those are two very loaded assumptions for you to be making about me, Potter.”

 

Harry could tell that Malfoy was aiming for his usual cold tones, but he had just missed. Need flooded his veins again as Malfoy stepped closer, closing the gap between them. Staring up into those strange grey eyes, Harry saw everything he needed to know that he had won this round.

 

“I’ll make a deal with you, Malfoy.” Harry paused, waiting until Malfoy raised an incredibly pale eyebrow at him in obvious question. “You teach me what I’ll need to know about sex with a man so I can move on and never bother you with my annoying requests for sex again, and I promise that I’ll let you do anything you want to me.”

 

Malfoy seemed to consider the statement for a few seconds before clearing his throat. “Anything?”

 

“As long as it’s not illegal and won’t leave me with permanent scars.”

 

Harry was unsure of what he was expecting, but being kissed was definitely _not_ high on that list. It was slow and unexpectedly sensual, with Malfoy’s hands coming up to cup Harry’s face as he slid his tongue in between Harry’s lips. Needing to be closer to Malfoy as his head began to swim, he pressed as close as he could get, running his hands over Malfoy’s chest. Malfoy was surprisingly solid, despite his thin build and Harry found himself wishing they could have started this years before, when it would have been possible for them to have a second round nearly straight away. He almost whined in objection when Malfoy pulled back.

 

“Lesson one, Potter: it is never acceptable for a kiss to consist mostly of saliva and teeth. Kissing is the most basic way of being able to tell if you are compatible and if I had gone off what you apparently consider a kiss, then you would have been dumped off that chair onto your arse and you never would have seen me again.”

 

Harry blinked his eyes open again when Malfoy paused, only to find himself captured by that same annoying look crossing Malfoy’s face again. “Mmm?”

 

“Brilliant response, Potter,” Malfoy sneered, recovering much faster this time. “Very articulate. Unlock the door; let me out.”

 

“I will see you again?”

 

“If I choose to, yes.”

 

*~*

 

“You.” _Crash_. “Fucking.” _Crash_. “Idiot!” _Crash_.

 

Draco smiled as smoke drifted up from the smashed potions phials he had thrown after each word. He knew he was wasting money – that he could have sold the potions rather than exercising his temper on them – but he simply could not believe that he had been so incredibly stupid as to allow himself to be suckered in by Potter. He had known beforehand that he had a weakness when it came to Potter, but apparently the sensible part of his mind had taken leave the second the bastard had landed in his lap.

 

“ _Teach me, Malfoy_ ,” he mocked, his top lip curling in disgust at the memory of the emotions that had run through him when Potter had voiced his ‘deal’. “ _Show me what I need to know... I want you._ ”

 

Draco’s elbows cracked down on the worktable in front of him and his head landed in his hands as the disgust at his own weakness threatened to overwhelm him. He should have been stronger, he should have stopped Potter the second he had tried to get closer, he should... _Not have developed feelings for a man who can never truly want you in the way you have wanted him since school._

 

“Draco?” He jumped at the sound of Astoria’s voice as she descended the stairs to his basement workplace. “What in the name of Merlin have you been up to?”

 

“Nothing.” He waved his wand at the mess, cleaning it with a thought and turned to face his wife, determined to not allow what he had been going through to show on his face.

 

“Don’t lie to me.”

 

He watched as she entered the room, her eyes flicking over to the corner that still smoked a little from the mix of potions. Despite the fact that their marriage was one of convenience only, they had become fast friends over the years and she was one of the only people who could read Draco at will. The look she was shooting him tended to make even Draco’s walls crumble, but this time, he was determined that no one should know of this weakness: it left him too vulnerable.

 

“It’s not a lie: I’m not doing anything.”

 

“ _Draco_ ,” she sighed, the look turning to sympathy in the blink of an eye. “Look, I know that we’ve never had the kind of intimacy a real couple share, but I’d like to think that you trust me. You know that whatever this is, you can vent to me without having to worry about me running to the press the second I leave the house. That would be detrimental to me as well as you.”

 

Her words dragged a reluctant smile out of him: Astoria had learnt over the years that one of the ways to almost guarantee a reaction out of him was to appeal to his sense of self-preservation. “I... Gods, I think I’m in a bit of trouble.”

 

“Trouble?” She Summoned a pair of chairs from the back of the room, indicating to him to take a seat. “What kind of trouble?”

 

He sighed as he took the offered seat. “That man from the platform?”

 

“The one you were so smug about having scored?”

 

“I’ve been with him twice since then.”

 

“Twice? That’s, what? Three times in about a week?” Astoria sat back in her chair with a small smile.

 

“Glad you find this so amusing.” Draco couldn’t help the sarcasm that escaped him as he watched her.

 

“Do you like him?”

 

“‘Like’? No; he’s a complete prick.”

 

“That’s not what I meant and you know it. Wait... We couldn’t actually be talking love here, could we?” Her smile widened as Draco turned from her, a sneer on his lips.

 

“Of course not; I’m not that stupid.”

 

“You can’t expect to control who you fall for, Draco.”

 

“I haven’t _fallen_ for anything.” Guilt at properly lying to her flashed through his chest as he turned back to glare at her.

 

“Sure you haven’t,” she murmured as she stood to place a kiss on his forehead, a gesture she had adopted after having Scorpius. “Be sure to let me know when you come out of denial so I can approve him.”

 

Watching as she made her way back to the stairs leading up to the house proper, Draco closed his eyes, fighting back a smile. If he had been straight, then there was no way she would have stood a chance.

 

“You weren’t much help,” he called after her retreating form.

 

“Yes I was; you just can’t recognise it yet.”


	6. Chapter 6

The following Friday found Draco in an unusual position. Normally he would be out with one of his regular partners, satisfying urges he had had during the week that had been too difficult to negotiate while he had been working. This weekend, however, he was sat in his workroom, slaving over a hot cauldron. He told himself that he was being responsible – that he had to make up for the potions he had smashed earlier in the week – simply because he found the truth too disturbing to face.

 

His thoughts had been occupied with Potter’s offer; so much so that he had not slept much over the past two days. The idea that he would be allowed to do anything he wanted with Potter as long as Potter learned something was proving incredibly tempting, but Draco considered himself too smart to fall for something like that. There was no way he was going to set himself up for what could turn into a very public fall. Of course, just because he was not allowing himself to indulge physically, that had not stopped him from imagining everything he would like to do to Potter. In fact, he was fairly certain that it would prove impossible for him to stop himself if he tried. Having tasted – now quite literally – what Potter had to offer, he knew he would never be able to forget, no matter how much he may want to at times. He would just have to find someone who could fill the hole that it felt like Potter’s absence had left. Feelings were something he had learned to control from a very young age and he _could_ control these ones as well, no matter the temptation.

 

He had discovered that he could freely admit to himself that he had panicked back in Potter’s office two days previously. With Potter’s maddening oaky scent invading his nostrils, his head had begun to swim, leading to him agreeing just to shut Potter up. But that was all over now. He figured that it would be simple to stop himself from succumbing to this particular weakness again: he would simply not go into the Ministry again until he was certain he could control himself. He would owl in the orders that had to be delivered to the Ministry and that would be the end of it. Without Potter’s physical presence in his life, this... whatever it was... would fizzle out, like the passing fancy it had to be.

 

He scowled as the memory of Astoria claiming that he was in denial crossed his mind. Not that he believed it at all: Astoria had to be completely wrong on that account, despite the fact that she knew him better than any other person ever had. He knew exactly what was going on and he was absolutely determined to put a stop to it as soon as possible. And if he had to stay in the Manor until he was absolutely certain that he would never give in to this weakness again, then so be it. It would just mean more money for him in the long run. The sound of her footsteps on the wooden stairs had him sighing in resignation; she liked to ‘talk’ of a night. It was one of her more annoying habits. He ignored her, keeping his attention firmly on the cauldron in front of him as he heard her settling down in one of the chairs at the back of the workroom.

 

“So,” she began, amusement clear in her voice. “How’s your little crush going? Are you still pretending to not know what I’m talking about?”

 

Draco sighed as he hung his head over the cauldron. As much as he liked her – loved her even – sometimes he could have just strangled her. From what he had observed of her relationship with her sister, she treated him like a brother. One she apparently liked to irritate. Not that he would ever complain; they had the perfect relationship as far as he was concerned. If the gentle teasing she liked to do drove him up the wall sometimes, then that was the price he would pay to have the kind of freedom in his marriage that he needed. She had saved him from an incredibly unappealing forced marriage and for that he would be forever grateful. Standing directly over the bubbling and spitting cauldron as he was, he missed the sound of her soft footsteps approaching him until she was right there, her arm snaking around his waist.

 

“Remind me again why I married you.” His voice sounded tired even to him.

 

“Because I was the only woman alive who was desperate enough to sleep with you? And I was a _much_ better option than my sister.”

 

He huffed out a laugh as he turned to face her, placing his hands on her shoulders to hold her in place. “You know I love you, right?”

 

The look of shock that crossed her face had him smiling. It was incredibly rare for him to express his emotions verbally, but he was too damn tired to care at that moment. With images of Potter’s naked arse keeping him up at night – in more ways than one – he knew that he had been in a foul mood and that he had taken more of it out on her than was fair. She and Scorpius were the two constants in his life, the two people he could properly rely on, and she deserved to know how much she meant to him. His smile widened as her hands moved up around his shoulders and she dragged him into a tight embrace. He wrapped his own around her waist, holding her securely against him as she ran her fingers through his hair in a soothing gesture she used on Scorpius.

 

“You need to talk to him.” Her voice was muffled against his collar, but he heard her fine. “Find out if he feels the same way you do.”

 

“Tori,” he began, but she interrupted.

 

“No, don’t ‘Tori’ me.” She pulled back so she could place her hands on either side of his face. “I love you, too, and I don’t like to see you hurting. So, if you think you have a shot at being happy with this guy, then go for it. If not, then at least you’ll know so you can mourn him and move on.”

 

Draco sighed again and closed his eyes, not wanting to see the sympathy on her face. This was one of the disadvantages to having married someone he actually liked: he had wound up valuing what she thought. When her opinion clashed with his, however, it only made his life difficult.

 

“Draco?” She waited until he opened his eyes again before continuing. “You deserve to be happy. If he can make you so, then go to him. You’ve spent half your life running from man to man; maybe it’s time to settle down.” With that last nugget of wisdom, she kissed his forehead and moved out of the circle of his arms.

 

“You realise that would mean a divorce, right?”

 

“I know. I also know you’d do the same for me if I found someone.”

 

He smiled properly then, knowing that she was right. Now all he had to do was decide if he had the guts to actually follow through on her advice.

 

*~*

 

Harry sat in Hermione’s backyard, watching Lily and Hugo chase each other on kiddie brooms. Ron and Hermione had worked hard to earn enough to buy a property in the country where they could raise the kids in relative peace and Harry thought it had been totally worth it. With the space the yard afforded, any of the Weasley or Potter kids could come here and set up a backyard Quidditch game when they wanted. Despite everything that had happened over the past fortnight, he had to smile at his daughter’s antics. Her broom was obviously faster than Hugo’s, but Hugo was definitely the better flyer. To make up for her lack of skill, Lily kept proposing more and more ludicrous games; ones that involved speed rather than skill. Leaning back in the wicker chair, Harry allowed himself to properly relax for the first time since he had seen Al off at the station.

 

Ginny had left him another note that afternoon, which had caused him to make some tough decisions. He knew he needed to speak to someone about what had been going on, but that would mean confessing that he had been cheating on her as well. After picking Lily up from Molly and Arthur’s again, he had sat down and done some soul searching. The fact of the matter was that he knew they were heading for divorce. Even if it turned out that Ginny wasn’t at fault and that he was the only bad guy in the whole messed up situation, he didn’t think he could deny his true sexuality any longer. He was gay, of that he was almost 100% certain. What he was uncertain about was exactly what he should be doing about it. He knew what he would like to be doing; or, rather, _who_. But that was another thing entirely. If he could manage to have a real, proper conversation with Hermione about his marriage, and what he had been doing, then he might consider confessing exactly who it was he had slept with, but not before. He mentally shook himself out of his thoughts as he heard Hermione approaching from the back of the house.

 

“Alright, Harry,” Hermione sighed as she seated herself on the second chair beside him, placing two bottles of Butterbeer on the coffee table between them. “What’s got you so worried? I don’t think I’ve seen you look this bothered by something since school.”

 

He glanced over to his friend: she had not changed all that much since they had first met. Of course, there were the signs of age, but nothing that he did not have himself. The wrinkles at the edges of her mouth and eyes actually looked good on her, he thought; made her look more dignified. She had lost none of the feistiness that she had possessed in school either and it would not surprise him if – when he told her what was going on – she had the same reaction to him as he had had to Malfoy. Not that he ever wanted to do anything to warrant being punched in the nose by one of his best friends, but he _was_ cheating on his wife, the woman Hermione had considered a sister for many years. Despite knowing what her reaction was likely to be, he knew he had to tell her what was going on. He needed a sounding board and Hermione knew Ginny almost as well as he did. Or, at least, as well as he had thought he did. Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly before turning to her.

 

“Ok... ok,” he muttered as nerves flashed through his stomach, delaying the moment he had to voice his concern by a few seconds. “It’s two things, really; a suspicion and a confession. But they’re related. Very related, not that I would ever try to make any excuses for what I’ve done, but...”

 

He trailed off when he saw the look of combined surprise and worry on Hermione’s face, realising that he had been babbling. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly, nerves pulsing through every muscle. Waving his wand towards where the kids were playing, he cast a light privacy charm, one that could be broken by someone walking through it, but was still strong enough that they could speak in privacy.

 

“I need you to promise me that you won’t say a word about this to anyone, Hermione. About either of the things I’m about to tell you. I need to sort everything out by myself and I can’t do that with a shitstorm from family and the press raging around me.” He waited until she had nodded before continuing in a quieter tone. “I think Ginny might be cheating on me.”

 

He watched her carefully, waiting for the indignation or denials to start. A few seconds passed in silence, making Harry wonder if she had heard him, before she took a deep breath and sighed quietly.

 

“What makes you think that?” Her voice was level, much to his surprise, showing no signs of the anger he had feared.

 

Sitting back in his chair, Harry glanced over to where Lily played with Hugo. “A number of things, but it only occurred to me very recently that I should be worried about them, after something else happened –”

 

“Wait; one thing at a time, please,” she interrupted him, holding a hand up to silence him. “We’ll get to whatever else has happened, I promise, but let’s go through this first.”

 

Nodding slowly, he kept his eyes fixed on his daughter as he spoke. “We’ve never really had the same kind of relationship you and Ron have, you know. You two have always been so loving and, well, _together_. You’ve always seemed like the perfect match to me, but Ginny and I, we’ve had to work at everything we had together. We’ve never really had that much of a sex life and that’s dried up almost completely since Lily’s birth. We pretty much only had sex in the beginning because we both wanted kids, but besides that it was like she didn’t ever want me to touch her. Hell, the reason it took us seven years to conceive James was because we weren’t actually having all that much sex. We both wanted kids, but we apparently just didn’t want to do the things you have to do to get the kids. Or, at least, we didn’t want to with each other.

 

“Every time I try to touch her, or get near her in any way, she makes excuses to not be near me. We never fight, we never argue, but we also never talk. It’s like living with a complete stranger. Then, a few days ago, I got home to a note telling me that she had left Lily with Molly and Arthur and that she was spending the night in Holyhead. That was it, no explanation of why she had to stay there, no firecall to tell me where Lily was; she just dropped our daughter off and left. The same thing happened today and I knew I had to talk to someone I trusted about what was going on.”

 

Harry stopped as anger flashed through his chest, followed swiftly by guilt. He knew he was being hypocritical, but she was his _wife_ damn it all! If she wanted out of their relationship, then she should have just said so. He probably would have given her a divorce if she had just talked to him, but no; she had to go behind his back. Merlin only knew how long it had been happening for, as well. Just because Harry had only just recently twigged that he should be concerned didn’t mean that this was a recent development. Ginny had been working in Holyhead for the Harpies almost since she had graduated from Hogwarts and now she was the Quidditch reporter for the _Prophet_ , she still had excuses to be there almost as often as she had when she was still a player. Still... did that give Harry the excuse to cheat on her as well? If that was what she was doing. Gods, what if she wasn’t cheating on him? What if every seemingly random trip to Holyhead was actually a legitimate work trip? What if _he_ was the bad guy here? His head snapped over to Hermione as she shifted in her chair.

 

“How long has she been going off to Holyhead on her own?” There was a strange tone to her voice that Harry couldn’t quite place, but he ignored it in favour of answering, hoping she knew something he didn’t.

 

“It started when she was first hired by them, so ever since she graduated, pretty much. Why? What do you know?” He sat forward, his forearms resting on his knees as he stared at her intently.

 

Silence stretched between them for an interminable minute, causing Harry’s nerves to twitch. Eventually, Hermione met his eyes with a strange combination of sympathy and determination. It had been a long time since Harry had seen such a gleam to her eyes and it caused even more worry to pile in on top of everything else he was feeling.

 

“There have always been rumours about her, but I always assumed they were Rita Skeeter being a bitch,” she replied in an almost-whisper. “I helped her to squash them before the _Prophet_ could publish them. Harry, are you absolutely certain?”

 

“No,” he had to admit, frowning again as he stared mindlessly at a knot in the coffee table. “Like I said, it’s just a suspicion at the moment. Who are the rumours about her with?”

 

He knew he should not ask; knew that it would just cause more heartache, but he had to know. He considered every single player on the Harpies team a personal friend and knowing one of them could do this to him... He shook his head, returning his attention to Hermione.

 

“Rhys Jamison.”

 

“Rhys... The _owner_?”

 

Harry’s attention drifted off to the left again as shock numbed his mind. Rhys had owned the Harpies since the late ‘90s and had been the one to suggest hiring Ginny in the first place. He knew that she had spent time with him off the pitch, but had never suspected that their friendship had been anything more than just that. Of course, that was the reason he was in this position to begin with: his own inability to see the obvious when it was right in front of him.

 

“Harry? What was the second thing you wanted to tell me? You said they were related?”

 

Fear settled, cold and hard, in Harry’s stomach. He was beginning to regret mentioning his own confession, but he knew he had to get it out there, knew that if he didn’t, then he would regret it even more. Taking a deep breath, he answered in a rush.

 

“IhadsexwithMalfoy.” He squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the explosion.

 

“You... what?” She sounded more confused than anything else, so Harry took another deep breath and let it out slowly.

 

“I – I had... I had sex with Malfoy.” He kept his eyes closed in anticipation of the rush of anger he was sure Hermione would unleash. But it never came. Squinting one eye open, he found her sitting in the same position, a completely blank look on her face. “Hermione? Did you hear me?”

 

“ _Draco_ Malfoy, right? Not Astoria?”

 

Harry frowned again, wondering why she needed the clarification. “Yes, why?”

 

“Oh, Harry,” she sighed, throwing herself back into the chair. “I suspected during school, but then you went off and married Ginny and... Gods, you’re gay, aren’t you?”

 

“Wait, what do you mean you suspected? You thought I was gay in school?” The worry over her reaction was rapidly being replaced by shock again as he watched her.

 

“You spent months following Draco around during our sixth year, you got incredibly attached to every single father figure you had and despite being able to have practically any girl in the school you wanted, you only ever showed interest in the two who had first showed interest in you. It was almost as if you were doing what was expected of you, rather than what you wanted. When Draco showed the same level of interest in you, I thought that maybe you’d end up together, or at least have a few sessions of angry hate sex, but it never happened. After the War, you went straight on to marry Ginny and he disappeared for a few years, only to show up again married to Astoria. I let it slide because I thought that maybe you were actually bi rather than gay, but you’re not, are you?”

 

He shook his head slowly, pain washing through his chest. “No, I’m not –”

 

“Not what?” The sound of Ron’s voice from the back of the house shook Harry out of his shock-induced stupor and he shot Hermione a wide-eyed look of panic.

 

“Looking forward to having Lily go off to Hogwarts next year,” Hermione supplied as Lily ran in from the yard to greet her Uncle with a high-pitched shriek.

 

Harry shot her a thankful look as Ron scooped both Lily and Hugo up in his arms, laughing as they squirmed. She smiled back, a look full of sympathy that Harry found that he both needed and really didn’t want at the same time. It looked like his life was about to get exceedingly complicated.


	7. Chapter 7

Sunday afternoon arrived with a cool wind that cut straight through Draco’s cloak, causing him to shiver slightly as he trailed grumpily after Astoria through Diagon Alley. She had been nagging him about going for a shopping trip to Diagon for a few days and apparently thought they should go together. What it was with women and shopping, Draco would never know, but he figured it was easier to just shut up and follow along with whatever she wanted. There was absolutely no point in starting an argument, especially in public as they were. That kind of publicity was not something he courted anymore.

 

“Draco, come take a look at this.”

 

Obediently following the sound of his wife’s voice, he traipsed over to where she stood out the front of Flourish and Blotts. Scanning his eyes over the selection of books out the front of the store as he moved, he had to wonder what exactly was so important about not only this store in particular, but the entire trip. He had absolutely no idea why she had not just left him to his potions back home at the Manor, as he was definitely not needed here. Spending the next few minutes listening to exactly why a particular book was incredibly important for Scorpius’s development, Draco allowed himself to half-tune out, nodding and making noises of agreement whenever it seemed appropriate. He got away with it as well, until Astoria apparently said something that required a proper answer.

 

“Draco!” She elbowed him in the ribs, grabbing his attention completely. “If you’re done daydreaming, we have to actually go into the store to buy the book.”

 

He glared at her slight sarcasm, but moved to follow her anyway, not having anywhere else to be. It was not until he accidentally overheard a conversation between two people just behind him that he regretted the entire trip and began to wish he had insisted on staying home.

 

“Dad, we need to go into the bookstore. Aunt Hermione said they have really good copies of _Hogwarts: A History_ that I can read before going next year.”

 

“Alright Lily, just hang on a second. I’ll go and get you the book; you go find your Uncle Ron at Fortescue’s.”

 

There was a laugh to Potter’s voice that turned Draco’s insides into a mess of quivering goo. He closed his eyes as a combination of desire and fear landed heavily in his stomach. This was definitely not a good thing; even the sound of the bloody man’s _voice_ had the ability to make him lose the grip he held on his emotions in public. Placing a hand in the small of Astoria’s back, he moved her through the store faster, pushing her towards the register. Maybe he had not been spotted; maybe he could get away without having Potter confront him over his disappearing act the other day.

 

“Draco, what are you doing? Let me go,” Astoria hissed at him, trying to move away from him.

 

“Can you just pay for the bloody book so we can leave?” He glanced over his shoulder and winced involuntarily when he saw Potter entering the store.

 

“What are you...? Harry Potter? You’ve got to be kidding me. You can’t tell me that you’re still holding onto that ridiculous grudge the two of you had in school?” Her words trailed off as she stared into his face. Shock followed swiftly by recognition dawned in her eyes. “Oh, _Draco_.”

 

The understanding and sympathy laced heavily through her voice caused an irrational anger to pool in Draco’s chest. He had not asked for her sympathy simply because he knew exactly how stupid this crush was. He frowned at the thought; he had never before acknowledged the fact that this was something more than a need to get laid, at least not consciously. Gripping her arm tighter, he spun her around to face the register again.

 

“Look I’ll tell you everything, I swear, just not here. Can you please just pay for the book so we can leave?” He knew that acknowledging the fact that it was Potter that he had been having sex with was probably not a wise move, but he didn’t know any other way to shut her up and get her moving. “I _swear_ you’ll know everything, just let me get away from him first, alright?”

 

She sighed as she ran a hand absentmindedly down his arm. “Fine. You go hide over behind that stack of books over there and I’ll pay for the book so you can run away home.”

 

Shooting her one last glare, he slipped off to the left, heading over to a stack of books that had to have been held up by magic: there was no other way they could have still been standing. Hoping desperately that the book Potter’s daughter wanted wasn’t anywhere near his hiding place, Draco allowed himself to take a shaky breath. He had made the decision Friday night to follow his instincts and just let Potter go, despite the ache in his chest the idea caused. The feelings that Potter gave him weren’t worth it, as Draco knew that they could never be returned. He figured that it was better to make a clean break now rather than get involved and have his world shattered when Potter got sick of him in a few weeks’ time. A small noise behind him had him spinning around, only to come face-to-face with the greenest eyes he had ever seen. Letting out a muttered oath caused Potter to flash him a wicked grin.

 

“Your wife is a lovely woman. Devious, but lovely all the same.”

 

“Dead is what she’ll be,” Draco muttered as he backed up, trying to put some physical distance between them.

 

The grin Potter responded with had Draco’s stomach fluttering pathetically. “Oh, you won’t have to resort to murder to see me more often; I thought I made that clear last time.”

 

There was an edge to Potter’s voice that told Draco his light tone hid something much deeper. Still backing away slowly, he ran through all the scenarios that could play out here, starting with Potter forcing himself on Draco in an act of revenge for the station and ending with him just being allowed to walk out and strangle Astoria in peace. Interestingly, strangling his wife held almost as much appeal as being jumped by Potter at the moment. He grunted as his back hit the wall behind him.

 

“What do you want, Potter?” He knew that his voice didn’t hold as much scorn as he had been hoping for, but also knew that his sneer had not lost any of its strength.

 

Instead of answering verbally, Potter waved his wand over the two of them, a small smile crossing his lips. Draco could feel an incredibly strong privacy charm washing over him, followed swiftly by a mumbled notice-me-not. His nerves jumped as he realised that no one would know where they were or what they were doing until Potter decided to release the charms. What if Potter had decided on revenge, despite his words the other day? Would Draco be able to get away from him if he tried to hex him?

 

“You know _exactly_ what I want.” Potter’s voice was low, his eyes intense as he slowly advanced on Draco. “So I’m not going to repeat myself.”

 

Despite the worry over what was going to happen crowding his mind, Draco’s breath hitched at the intensity of Potter’s gaze. Desire flooded through him and he couldn’t help wondering what it would be like to greet those incredibly green eyes every morning. Unable to look away, he shook his head a little instead.

 

“You don’t want me.” His own voice was just barely above a whisper as he denied himself the fantasy.

 

Potter grinned again as he stopped just in front of Draco, close enough so that Draco could see the small flecks of gold in his eyes, magnified by his glasses. “Yes, I do.”

 

With that simple statement, it seemed that Potter thought he had said enough. One of his hands snaked up around Draco’s neck, the other coming to rest on his hip as he leant closer. He hovered just in front of Draco’s lips for a few seconds, appearing to enjoy the tension crackling between them before bringing their lips together. Whether their first kiss had just been Potter’s enthusiasm getting the better of him, or if he had actually taken Draco’s words to heart, Draco thought he would never know, but this was... _wonderful_. Potter’s scent washed over him as their lips moved, sending his head spinning with lust. Mindlessly giving in to the sensations rushing through him, he wrapped his arms around Potter’s waist, pulling him closer as he traced his tongue along Potter’s lips in a request for entrance. The moan he received in response as his tongue entered Potter’s mouth vibrated through his chest, causing him to pull Potter even closer. Something in the back of Draco’s mind nagged at him, some kind of alarm telling him to back off – to push Potter away – but he ignored it. Now that he had given in to the urge to taste him, he wasn’t going to stop. Unfortunately, it seemed Potter had other ideas. Pulling back just enough so that Draco had to resist a whine of disappointment, he met Draco’s eyes with determination.

 

“Is that a yes?”

 

“You don’t wa–”

 

The denial was cut off with a hiss of pleasure as the hand Potter had had resting on Draco’s hip slid over to cup his already half-hard cock through his trousers. Letting his head fall back against the wall behind him as Potter slowly massaged all sense out of his mind, Draco found himself fighting for breath. His eyes slid shut as jolts of pure bliss rocked through him. As focussed as he was on his own pleasure, he failed to notice Potter moving closer until he felt his hot breath against his ear.

 

“Draco,” Potter whispered, sending a shiver down Draco’s spine that he knew Potter must have felt. He had never heard his name said in that tone of voice by anyone, not even any of his previous partners. “Draco, I _do_ want you; much more than I probably have any right to. I think I have since school, but I was too blind to see it.”

 

Draco bit back another whine as the buttons of his fly were undone and Potter’s hand grasped his hard cock without the barrier of cloth. A muttered lubrication spell later and he was receiving a hand job in the middle of Flourish and Blotts. Exquisite pleasure built up inside him rapidly, with their very public location only adding to the sensations. Draco spread his legs wider unconsciously, allowing Potter better access as he adjusted his grip. Draco was surprised when they managed to find a rhythm fairly quickly; he had figured Potter would be as clumsy about everything as he had been about kissing. Then again, if his marriage was in the state he had claimed it was, then _this_ would be one of the things he probably had a large amount of experience in. Any rational thoughts were soon shoved aside by the waves of pleasure crashing through him as Potter twisted his wrist and Draco gave up on thinking altogether, instead just enjoying the ride.

 

Draco’s hands moved restlessly along Potter’s back: running over his shoulders, gripping his sides, digging his nails into the muscles. He couldn’t settle; couldn’t find that one little place in his mind that allowed him to relax during sex and couldn’t decide if this was a good thing or not. The pressure was building inside him swiftly, causing his breath to come in short gasps as Potter’s hand moved on him, but he didn’t allow himself to open his eyes. He discovered that he both needed to know what the expression on Potter’s face was and desperately needed not to at the same time. There was no way he could find a way to deal with it if there was anything like scorn on Potter’s face, so he stayed how he was, focussed solely on the pleasure Potter was bringing him. He was close, so very, very close; all he needed was that tiny little bit more and he would tip over the edge...

 

“Open your eyes.” It was a command, not a request. “Let me see you.”

 

It took a few seconds for the strange wording to penetrate the fog of lust clouding Draco’s mind, leading to Potter’s hand stilling completely, simply holding Draco’s throbbing cock in a loose grip. Letting his head fall forward, Draco felt shock thrum through him when his forehead hit Potter’s shoulder; he had not thought he was still that close. His hips jerked in an attempt to regain the friction he needed.

 

“Ah, no, no, no,” Potter muttered, the hand he had had tangled in Draco’s hair sliding down to wrap around his waist, holding him close to his chest. “I want an answer, Draco. Yes or no?”

 

Pressing closer and jerking his hips again, Draco groaned when it caused Potter’s fingers to wrap around the base of his cock, preventing him from coming even if he had received the stimulation he needed. “Let me come.”

 

“Yes or no?” The words were whispered against Draco’s ear and he shivered in response.

 

“Please.”

 

“Answer me.”

 

_NO!_ “Yes, yes,” Draco gasped, not caring that he would probably regret the decision later on. “Please... Now, _please_.”

 

The arm Potter had wrapped around Draco’s waist tightened as his hand moved again, stroking once, twice more before twisting his wrist again. Draco bit down on Potter’s shoulder as the pressure became too much and he tumbled over the edge, his entire body spasming as he came. His hips jerked involuntarily and he was certain he let out a whimper as he coated Potter’s hand and shirt with jets of hot cum. Slight shock registered when Potter simply held him, allowing him to slip partially into the mindless oblivion that always followed such a powerful orgasm for a few minutes.

 

“Draco...”

 

Potter’s voice was soft, almost as though he didn’t want to drag him out of his stupor. Draco turned his head, realising that he was being held up by Potter’s surprisingly strong arms wrapped around his middle, his head resting on Potter’s shoulder. Pressed as close as he was, it was impossible for Draco to ignore the hard bulge rubbing against his thigh.

 

“Let me go.”

 

Potter jerked back, a hurt look crossing his face before Draco dropped to his knees before him. Staring up at Potter from below, Draco saw shock, followed by comprehension in his eyes before they clouded over with lust. Draco allowed himself to smile as he ran his hands over Potter’s denim-clad thighs. He had fantasised about this over and over again ever since the idea had occurred to him the other day. Being free to both touch and taste Potter this way actually indicated to Draco that this was going to be much more than just sex more than his agreement to Potter’s proposal. Fellatio was so much more personal than sex – as was the privilege of being allowed to recover in your partner’s arms – that he knew that there was no turning back from now on.

 

Breaking eye contact, he focussed on the task in front of him. Freeing Potter’s cock from his jeans, Draco took a few seconds to simply breathe in his natural scent. Burying his nose into the thick patch of black hair, he breathed deeply, savouring Potter’s musk. The groan that this produced from above him told Draco that Potter was pretty close as it was, so it probably wouldn’t take much to bring him to orgasm. He briefly considered returning the ‘favour’ and clamping his fingers around the base of Potter’s cock to prevent him from coming, but decided that his own need to discover what he tasted like was much more pressing than that minor bit of revenge.

 

One last quick glance up to meet Potter’s eyes told Draco just how much Potter wanted this: his pupils were blown wide; his breath came in sharp gasps and he had leant forward until his head rested on the wall behind Draco, appearing to need the extra support. Biting back a grin, Draco ran his tongue along the thick vein on the underside of Potter’s cock, earning himself a deep groan and a jerk of Potter’s hips. One of his hands automatically came up to clamp onto Potter’s hip to hold him still as the other grasped hold of Potter’s cock. Savouring the tension he could feel between them for a few seconds, he leant in and took another deep breath. Potter’s musk surrounded him as he flicked his tongue out to taste him, moaning as the salty-bitter taste of Potter’s pre-cum hit his tongue.

 

“Gods, Draco...” Potter seemed to be losing the ability to speak coherently much faster than Draco had, a point he took pride in. “ _Fuck_...”

 

Draco gasped as Potter’s free hand landed in his hair, clenching to pull him closer. Smiling, Draco repeated the action, licking the head of Potter’s cock. Another apparently uncontrollable jerk of Potter’s hips had Draco deciding to just go for it: he had waited for this kind of opportunity for half his life; there was no reason for him to delay.

 

Circling his tongue around the head of Potter’s cock, he slowly slid his lips downwards, taking him into his mouth. Meeting Potter’s eyes as he sucked gently would have made Draco hard again if he had been younger: the knowledge that the lust he saw written there was for him was almost too much to handle. Sucking a little harder earned him a deep moan. It was obvious Potter was trying to not thrust into Draco’s mouth, something he was grateful for, as he much preferred to control their pace this first time. A deep breath relaxed Draco just enough so that he could take Potter into his mouth completely. The shock that registered on Potter’s face was more than worth the effort as he swallowed and wriggled his tongue along the underside of Potter’s now-throbbing cock. It wasn’t until Draco removed the hand he had had on Potter’s hip and moved it to massage his swollen balls that Potter had any kind of reaction other than incoherent groans.

 

“Draco...” He tightened his grip, forcing Draco’s head up his cock so he could stare into his eyes. “I – I can’t... can’t...”

 

With a grin, Draco swallowed around the head of Potter’s cock and squeezed his balls, forcing his orgasm out of him in a rush. Swallowing rapidly as Potter’s release shot into his mouth, Draco managed to not spill any on his robes; something he found himself incredibly grateful for. He released him just in time to avoid biting down as Potter’s knees gave way, sending him crashing to his knees in front of Draco. Operating on automatic, Draco reached to gather him in to his arms. It didn’t even occur to him that the action could be seen as strange as he ran his hand down Potter’s spine in a gesture of comfort as he trembled through an aftershock.

 

They stayed sitting on the floor of the bookstore for a few minutes, Draco simply enjoying the mindless oblivion he had been craving. It wasn’t until the sound of the store bell dragged Draco out of the trance he had fallen into that he realised exactly what he was doing. Sitting on the floor of Flourish and Blotts with Harry Potter in his arms, the both of them trying to recover a little before going back to their regular lives was not a position Draco could afford to be caught in. He knew that Potter had cast privacy charms, but who knew how strong they were after he had ignored them in favour of playing with Draco? What if they had weakened and someone came around the corner? As much as he hated to break the peace they had managed to find, he knew they had to move.

 

“Well, apparently there is a first time for everything...”

 

Shock rushed through Draco at the sound of Potter’s voice. “‘First time’?” Surely that couldn’t have been Potter’s first blowjob? He unwrapped his arms from around him and glanced down, trying to discern whether he was joking or not. “That wasn’t –”

 

Draco’s words were cut off as Potter leant in and kissed him again, silencing him as effectively as anything ever could have. He blinked in confusion when Potter backed off and stood up, his tongue tracing along his lips, obviously having tasted himself on Draco’s tongue. A silence stretched between them as Potter rearranged his clothing and made certain they were both clean before meeting Draco’s eyes.

 

“I, er, guess I’ll see you soon then?” Scrubbing a hand along the back of his neck, Draco thought he had not seen Potter look this awkward since school.

 

Taking pity on him, Draco nodded once; a sharp movement that he hoped did not indicate that he was looking forward to it, or that he was already planning what he would do to Potter when they did see each other again. With that, Potter was off, breaking the charms with a swipe of his hand. Draco quickly readjusted his clothing before standing and making his way out into Diagon, only to be confronted immediately by Astoria.

 

“Well?”

 

“You’re lucky I like you so much.”

 

“Wait, he didn’t –”

 

“Oh, he did; _we_ did.” Draco met his wife’s eyes, trying to glare despite the pleasure at his situation still running through him. “That doesn’t let you off the hook, however.”

 

Her laugh followed him as he headed off towards the Apparition point down the street. “You’re welcome, you stubborn bastard.”


	8. Chapter 8

Holding his breath as Ginny passed straight past his hiding spot, Harry sent up a silent thanks to whoever was listening that James had not yet managed to swipe his invisibility cloak. Having come to the decision that he had to know exactly what was going on with his wife, Harry had set aside some time in his schedule so that he could travel over to Holyhead and do some tracking work. It had involved speeding through half a weeks’ paperwork in one day, but he knew it would be worth it. When he filed for divorce, he needed to understand exactly what it was he was filing for, despite knowing that the knowledge would hurt more than help him.

 

Moving as silently as possible out from his hiding spot – there really weren’t that many places to hide, so he was incredibly thankful for the cloak – he followed along behind her. Ginny had about half a block on him as she moved quickly through Muggle Holyhead, her coat wrapped closely around her. He had no idea where she could be going, as there really wasn’t that much that he thought could keep her attention for very long. Sure, there was the Quidditch team, but they were part of the wizarding side of Holyhead, not the Muggle. He was so preoccupied in wondering exactly where they could be heading that he almost missed her stopping outside a small cafe.

 

Glancing around with her arms wrapped around her middle, Ginny was definitely waiting for someone. Harry held back, waiting from the doorway of a closed shop a few doors down for her companion to show up. Adrenalin pumped through his veins, keeping him warm despite the cold weather. Unfortunately, it also caused his heart to pound in his ears, making it difficult to hear what was being said down the street even though there wasn’t much traffic. He briefly tossed around the idea of moving closer to her, just in case she said something important to whomever it was she was waiting for, but discarded the thought the second Rhys Jamison appeared down the street to his right.

 

The cafe Ginny was waiting outside of was a few doors to his left, so Harry saw Rhys before Ginny did and the sight turned his blood cold. Tall, tanned and blond, Rhys was sort after by many witches. He had always been extremely private about his love-life, however, and no one had ever really been able to pinpoint a particular witch that he had been with. No one except, apparently, Harry and Rita Skeeter. Taking a moment to wonder how his life would have played out if Hermione had not been able to squash the article Skeeter had been going to write, Harry bit back a sigh. There was no point in indulging in what-ifs. He had been holding onto the hope that maybe Hermione had been mistaken, or that the supposed rumours had been just that. Still, maybe this was innocent? Maybe this was just a meeting of old colleagues? It _was_ possible that the gossip when Ginny had first joined the club had simply been nothing more than unfounded rumours. Turning back so he could watch Ginny’s expression when she finally spotted Rhys, Harry had to wonder at himself.

 

Was he maybe projecting his own guilt over cheating on Ginny? Why did he care if she was cheating if he was as well? What would he do if it was plainly obvious that he was being cheated on? Biting back a sigh, he knew he could only answer one of those questions right at that moment. He cared because it was entirely possible that Ginny had _never_ cared for him. He had thought himself in love with her for 19 years and to have that illusion shattered the way he was at the moment... His eyes closed briefly as a wave of pain hit him in the chest. He reopened them when shuffling footsteps passed him, heading towards the cafe. Stepping out and slipping down the footpath behind Rhys, Harry braced himself for the worst.

 

“Ginny?”

 

“Rhys, it’s so good to see you again!”

 

Harry stared as Ginny stood on her toes to kiss Rhys on the cheek, shock sending his mind numb. That was... mild. If she had been cheating on him with Rhys, wouldn’t they have greeted each other with slightly more passion? Ginny backed off from him and they moved into the cafe, sitting at the table by the window. Harry moved so that he could keep a close eye on them, confusion sweeping through him. He couldn’t have been wrong about this, could he?

 

Standing out on the chilly footpath for the better part of an hour while his wife sat inside and chatted with Rhys did nothing to improve Harry’s mood and he was almost twitching with nerves, guilt and anger when the two inside the cafe finally stood to say their goodbyes. Rhys paid the bill for the two of them – which Harry told himself friends did anyway – and they moved out onto the street. The wide smile that Ginny offered up as she stood staring up into Rhys’ eyes was like a punch to Harry’s gut. It was so similar to the one that she had given him on so many occasions and he had thought that it had been reserved for him only. He clutched the cloak around him tightly as they began to move back down the street again. Ginny’s hand was running light touches up and down Rhys’ arm, confusing Harry even further. Why was Ginny acting like there was something between the two of them if Rhys wasn’t reacting to her? He stopped in the doorway of another closed shop when the two of them paused on the corner.

 

“It’s been so good catching up with you again.”

 

Harry was absolutely certain there was a slightly suggestive tone to Ginny’s voice that he had never heard before. It had his blood boiling with the need to rush out and interrupt the two of them, but he held himself in check, needing to know exactly what was happening. Ginny’s hand stilled on Rhys’ arm, squeezing his bicep as she stood on her toes again. Harry figured she may have been using him as balance so she could kiss him on the cheek again, but this time, their lips connected. Standing there covered in the invisibility cloak, almost shivering from the cold, Harry knew he was witnessing the proof that he needed that his wife was cheating on him, but he was so numb with shock that he simply couldn’t move. He stood frozen until they broke apart, Ginny running her hand along Rhys’ arm again.

 

“I – uh – I’ll see you later, Gin.”

 

Harry frowned, watching as Rhys moved off down the street. _That_ was not the reaction of a man who had just departed from the woman he was seeing. Judging from Ginny’s reaction – sighing slightly before turning to stomp off in the opposite direction – it had not been the reaction she had been hoping for. He debated silently which one of them to follow, but figured he would get a straighter answer from Rhys. Stretching his legs to catch up, Harry only just managed to slip inside the door of the block of flats as it was swinging closed. Taking a deep breath, he hauled the cloak off and faced the man who had made a fool of him.

 

“Harry! What –” The exclamation was cut off as Harry advanced on him, his wand dropping down into his hand with a flick of his wrist. “Now, hang on a second, I can explain.”

 

“How long have you been fucking my wife?” The words were snarled, his voice unrecognisable.

 

“I’m not, I –”

 

“ _Don’t_ lie to me!” Sparks flew from the end of Harry’s wand as he flicked it out to the side, still advancing slowly. He had not lost control over his magic like this in many years, but it actually felt good to release some of the tension.

 

“I’m not, I swear! Ginny and I haven’t been together for years, I swear!” Rhys gasped as his knees came into contact with a small side table in the foyer and he fell backwards, landing on his arse on the tiles. “Please don’t hurt me.”

 

Holding onto his control by his fingertips, Harry snarled as he stood over the other man, his wand hand shaking. “Talk. You have two minutes.”

 

“I _was_ with Ginny, but it was only for six months and it ended years ago. She... she told me that your marriage was on the rocks, that she was going to leave because you weren’t compatible.”

 

“When?”

 

“2002. She said that you two had never really been properly compatible and that she was going to file for divorce. But it never happened. Then Rita Skeeter caught us and I thought it was all over. I don’t know how she managed to suppress the article Skeeter was going to write, but I never saw one. We continued on until she apparently got sick of me and left. It was only six months 15 years ago, I swear.”

 

Rhys was speaking quickly, almost as though he was absolutely convinced that at the end of the two minutes Harry had given him, he would be hexed senseless. A triumphant rush of power coursed through Harry’s veins as he stood over him. _This_ was how people were supposed to react to him when he was angry, not by challenging him. The triumph faded quickly when the reality of what Rhys was telling him sunk in, to be replaced with a nausea that almost overwhelmed him. He allowed his wand to drop to his side and he looked away, not wanting Rhys to see his face.

 

“You came to our children’s birthday parties.”

 

He had no idea where that had come from, but it struck him as a betrayal of the worst kind. His chest constricted at the idea that it had been Ginny’s suggestion to invite the entire Harpies team, including the owner. To _his children’s_ birthday parties. He turned and took a few steps towards the exit before glancing back over his shoulder.

 

“Who is she with now?”

 

“No one. That’s why she wanted to see me today.” The sympathy in Rhys’ voice grated at Harry’s nerves. “I am so sorry, Harry. I turned her down, but I have no idea who she’ll go to next.”

 

Staring at the other man sitting on the cold tiles, Harry saw truth in his eyes. There was no way he would have reacted the way he had to Ginny if they were seeing each other and, judging by the fear in his eyes only moments before, there was no way he could lie to Harry. He nodded his head sharply after bending to pick up the cloak from where he had dropped it on the floor. The soft sigh of relief he heard behind him ground his already straining control to pieces and he flicked his wand behind him. A sharp shriek, followed by the sound of Rhys falling again was the only way Harry had of telling that the stinging jinx he had cast behind him had hit as he left the lobby of the block of flats.

 

*~*

 

Draco scowled when yet another Ministry worker bee stumbled into his path. He knew he would always be thankful that he had not followed his father’s wishes and joined the monotonous rabble milling around doing Merlin-only-knows-what at a harried pace. No, working for himself at his own pace was much more his style these days, as his tolerance of other people had diminished severely as he had aged. As enthralling as a career working for the higher-ups must have been at some point, Draco simply didn’t see the appeal in today’s climate. There was no war to profit from – Potter had seen to that nicely and Draco would be forever grateful for it, even if he would never admit to it – and no real political challengers. Shacklebolt had things nicely in hand and no one really wanted that to change for the time being. He pushed the thoughts aside as he rounded the corner and the reception desk of the Auror Department came into view.

 

“Where’s Potter?”

 

The receptionist looked up at him, obviously startled, before gathering what little wits she apparently possessed and putting on an aloof air, despite the flare of intense interest he had seen in her eyes. “Head Auror Potter only got back in about half an hour ago, Mr. Malfoy. He is in his office and does not wish to be disturbed.”

 

It was the iciness to her tone that set Draco off more than anything else. “Potter’s already disturbed; my presence isn’t going to affect that in any way.”

 

Draco turned sharply and stalked off down the corridor again, ignoring her calls to him. He had had an incredibly frustrating day and there was nothing that was going to stop him from taking Potter up on his offer. His body needed release – he could feel the tension creeping along his shoulders as he moved – and if Potter was willing to offer that release, then there was no way Draco would turn that down. It was surprising to him that he had been able to readjust his thinking about Potter in such a small amount of time. Usually, he would have taken a number of weeks to mull over such an important decision, but it seemed that Potter’s obvious enthusiasm for him had taken the decision out of his hands. For that is the only way he could think to describe Potter’s reactions to him: enthusiastic. He broke the privacy charms on the door with a few choice spells – ones that he was sure if any of the Aurors had heard, he would have been apprehended right there and then – and moved into the office.

 

When he was not immediately hit by a number of curses for invading Potter’s privacy, he glanced around the room. The _empty_ room. His frustration building, Draco scanned the walls, looking for an entrance to another room. He knew there had to be one, as Potter wouldn’t have bothered to ward an empty room so thoroughly. He was about to start randomly sending out revealing spells when he noticed a tiny, thin trail of steam wafting out from under a filing cabinet. Grasping onto the top of the cabinet, he pulled, his eyes widening when it revealed a private bathroom. The steam emanating from within posed a delicious scenario as Draco closed the hidden door behind him.

 

He found Potter in the shower stall, his head resting on his folded arms on the tiled wall. Taking a few moments to simply admire the angles of Potter’s body, Draco could feel his own body reacting to the visual stimulus almost immediately. Shower sex had always been a particular favourite of his and the prospect of being allowed to engage in it with Potter... Well, his breathing increased with the pace of his now rapidly beating heart.

 

It was not until he truly _looked_ at Potter that he realised that something appeared to be strange. The angle Potter held himself at did not indicate that he was enjoying the spray of the water over his back at all; rather that that was how he had landed in the shower and it was just by chance that the spray was hitting him. When Draco ran his eyes up Potter’s back, he took note of the tension in his shoulders, which led him to seeing the clenching of Potter’s fists against the wall. Biting back a sigh, Draco knew he had a decision to make.

 

Either he could run the risk of simply barging in and get his arse kicked again, or he could try to discover exactly what was bothering Potter so much. The second avenue would definitely be the least painful option – he had ached for days after their first and second encounters – and followed along with the slightly more personal tone Potter had set earlier in the week at the bookstore. The first option, however, would keep the emotional distance that Draco had kept from all of his previous partners. A tiny voice in the back of his mind put forth the nagging idea that he really didn’t want to keep that distance from Potter; that he really wanted a proper relationship with him. The fact that the voice sounded vaguely like his nosy wife caused Draco to scowl as he flumped down onto a bench.

 

“Your receptionist is a bitch.”

 

“She’s also apparently incompetent.”

 

Potter’s voice was low and he sounded bone-achingly tired. Draco knew he had made the right decision, despite his own desperate need. He closed his eyes and rested his head back against the cool tiles behind him, content in the knowledge that Potter’s first instinct had not been to hex him. Stretching his arms along the back of the bench, his lips curved into a small smile. Perhaps Astoria had been right when she had demanded that he get out of the house that afternoon: perhaps Potter would prove good for him in some small way.

 

“Maybe,” he granted, the smile widening little. “But she did try to stop me, which is more than I can say about the first lot when I was here last. All I really had to do to get past them was glare.”

 

“So nice to know my Aurors are such pushovers.” The sarcasm would have made Draco angry years ago, but now he just brushed it off, much preferring it to the anger they had both been displaying a few weeks before. “Why are you here?”

 

Draco paused, debating how to answer. “Was that really your first blowjob the other day?”

 

“Why do you care?”

 

_I would like to be your first in something_. “I don’t.”

 

“Bullshit.” The voice was much closer now and Draco’s eyes flew open just in time for him to wind up with a lapful of dripping wet Potter. “You do care, or else you wouldn’t have asked.”

 

Any answer Draco was going to make was swallowed as Potter pressed their lips together. There was a slight desperation to Potter’s movements as Draco ran his hands down his sides. The feel of the strong muscles beneath his fingers had Draco hardening in his trousers further and he had to bite back a moan as Potter rocked his hips. He deepened the kiss when Potter’s mouth opened slightly, revelling in the faint taste of chamomile tea again. It struck him as odd that Potter would prefer chamomile over something like coffee, as that seemed to be the beverage of choice for so many of his colleagues.

 

“Draco...” Potter murmured against his lips, his voice barely above a whisper. “You should smile more; it suits you.”

 

With that, he was out of Draco’s lap and wandering back to the still-running shower. It was a few seconds before Draco could react in any way other than pants of desire. When he did, it was with the full force of the frustrated desire that had built up in him swiftly with the brief kiss.

 

“Where the fuck do you think you’re going?” He scowled again at the responding chuckle he received.

 

“It’d be a shame to waste all of this wonderfully hot water, wouldn’t it?” The suggestive tone to Potter’s voice had Draco’s breath hitching slightly. “Of course, you could wait for me to finish...”

 

Draco was already halfway undressed before Potter had even finished the sentence. The prospect of having Potter pressed up against him, hot and wet, was causing his head to swim slightly as he quickly stripped the rest of his clothing off and spelled it over to the bench with a flick of his wand. The wand quickly followed before he made his way around into the shower stall. Potter was standing with his head resting on his forearms again, his back to Draco. Stepping into the spray, Draco ran a hand up Potter’s spine, enjoying the resulting shiver.

 

“Potter...”

 

“Harry. You’ve been inside me; I think that qualifies as permission enough to use my first name.”

 

Staring down at the flow of the water over the muscles of Potter’s back, Draco had to wonder how he had managed to get in so deep so soon. He had never before allowed himself this kind of intimacy with anyone else, but Potter was so open, so honest, so... _welcoming_ that he couldn’t resist the tug to be near him again. Putting aside the worry as Potter – Harry – glanced back over his shoulder, Draco knew he would over examine it the second he had a few free minutes.

 

“Harry,” he murmured into Potter’s ear as he moulded their bodies together. “I’m going to fuck you so hard you forget your own name.”

 

The responding appreciative hum and grinding of Potter’s hips back against him fed Draco’s desire as he ran his hands over the well-toned chest and down to brush against Potter’s thighs. He nipped at Potter’s neck and thrust his hips forward as he spread Potter’s legs, getting him into the easiest position for the both of them. The clean, sharp scent of soap filled Draco’s senses as he continued to run his hands all over Potter’s slick body. He was already familiar with the taste of Potter’s skin and – after their encounter over the weekend – his cum, but it was something else that Draco now craved. He had no idea how Potter would react, so he gave no indication that he was about to do anything other than prepare him and fuck him. Dropping to his knees when Potter was moaning with each breath, Draco gripped Potter’s cheeks firmly and leant in to run his tongue up his water-slicked arse.

 

“What the fu – _what_ are you doing?”

 

Draco chuckled as Potter squirmed in front of him, bucking his hips away from Draco’s face. “You wished to be familiar with all aspects of gay sex, Potter. Here’s your next lesson: there are more ways of preparing someone than the standard spell. Many men like to be able to taste their partners in as many ways as possible, me included.”

 

“‘Taste’? You want to...? With your _tongue_?” The incredulity in Potter’s voice had Draco chuckling against the small of his back again. “Really?”

 

“Yes, really. If you don’t want me to, then you’d better tell me now.” Draco held his breath, hoping that Potter wouldn’t deny him anything.

 

“I... Ok.”

 

When there was nothing else said, Draco began slowly massaging his fingers into the soft flesh of Potter’s arse. The fact that Potter was nervous about this automatically caused Draco to slow his movements, allowing him to get used to the idea. There was a definite tension to Potter’s stance that Draco knew he had to get rid of, so he dipped his head and began to nibble at the top of one of Potter’s thighs. The resulting sigh and spreading of Potter’s legs sent a thrill of desire through Draco’s stomach again. Potter responded beautifully to him, there was no doubt about that.

 

“Draco?”

 

“Mmm?” He moved upwards slightly, enjoying the small gasps Potter gave with each breath.

 

“Why me?”

 

Draco froze, not knowing how to respond. His mind worked fast, filtering all the possible answers he could give down to just two. Either he could tell Potter the truth – that he had wanted him for years – or he could lie and make out like he had been horny and Potter had just wound up being there at the right time. The decision was once again taken from him when Potter spun around and pulled him to his feet by his hair.

 

“I want the truth; I don’t care if you think it’ll hurt.”

 

There was something deep in those slightly unfocussed eyes as Potter blinked to bring Draco into focus without his glasses that told Draco that lying at this point would be a very bad decision. Taking a deep breath, he moved closer, allowing Potter to focus on him properly. Nerves fluttered through his stomach, mixing swiftly with the raging desire. If Potter could admit that he wanted Draco, then the very least Draco could do was return the favour.

 

“I’ve wanted you since fifth year. I never thought I’d have the chance to be with you, though, since I thought you were straight.” He paused, he heart beating wildly as he waited for Potter’s response.

 

“So did I.”

 

Draco’s breath left him again as Potter dragged him into a heated kiss, their tongues battling for dominance. All thoughts of continuing with the ridiculous ‘lesson’ faded from Draco’s mind as he pressed closer. Potter was hot and wet and willing and everything Draco had needed for so long that all he wanted to do was sink into him and lose himself for a while. The kiss was broken long enough so that Potter could mumble the preparation and lubrication charms before connecting their lips again. Draco was obviously being given the choice of how this would go, even if he hadn’t been allowed his method of preparation. Taking the easy route, he spun Potter around, pressing as close as he could get from behind.

 

“Harry,” he whispered into Potter’s ear, enjoying the sound of Potter’s name coming from his lips.

 

“Please...”

 

Unable to resist the tone to Potter’s voice, Draco pressed forward, breaching him slowly. His eyes drifted closed as he sank easily into Potter’s willing body, the spells making the movement as easy as he could ever want. He stilled as soon as he was seated completely, giving Potter time to adjust to him. The slight moans Potter had been giving earlier had returned to his breathing pattern, sending pleasurable jolts through Draco’s stomach. It took slightly less time for Potter to squeeze around him this time, obviously indicating that he wanted Draco to move and Draco was more than willing. Pulling out and thrusting back in earned Draco a deep groan, encouraging him onwards. He fell into an easy rhythm for a few minutes, simply enjoying the sensations flowing through him. It wasn’t until he heard a slight change in Potter’s breathing that he decided to change things up a bit. As much fun as seeing Potter bent before him was, Draco was coming to crave that slightest bit more from this.

 

Reaching around, he wrapped both arms around Potter’s chest. With a slight tug, he pulled Potter up against him, his back to Draco’s chest. The new angle caused Draco to slide against Potter’s prostate. He slowed his thrusts, dragging the head of his cock along the tight knot of nerves a couple of times. The slower pace helped him as well, as he knew that he was beginning to dance dangerously close to the edge. It was here, also, that Draco’s tiny height advantage came into play. Potter’s head fell back against Draco’s shoulder, his breath coming in sharp gasps as his hips jerked of their own volition and it gave Draco the perfect angle. Dipping his head, he licked a stripe along the back of Potter’s left ear. As he had known it would, the move caused Potter to buck, yelling out hoarsely as he came in hot spurts. Draco couldn’t hold on against the waves of desire and want and desperate _need_ when they were combined with the spasming of Potter’s muscles around his throbbing cock and he let go. The almost painful jabs of lust that shot through him as he came had Draco cursing as he came before he bit down on Potter’s shoulder in an attempt to hold onto a slight amount of dignity. Still clutching Potter to his chest, Draco slid to the floor of the shower, completely spent.

 

He had no idea how long he was out for, but Draco woke to the sound of Potter’s voice. Opening his eyes, he saw that Potter hadn’t moved; that he was still in Draco’s lap, his head resting back on Draco’s shoulder.

 

“Draco?” Potter was still breathless, the sound sending warm shivers through Draco’s stomach.

 

“Mmm?” He didn’t trust his own voice at the moment.

 

“I...” Potter stopped and sighed, obviously changing his mind about what he was going to say. “When will I see you next?”

 

“No more than a few days.” He knew that with his crumbling control, a few days was probably the longest he could last before giving in to the urge to see him again. Draco smiled as Potter hummed in appreciation. Yes, he was definitely in trouble with this one.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This might be the last post until after the new year, so if it is, I hope everyone has a happy Christmas/happy holidays/whatever you celebrate and a safe and happy new year! :D

Harry nibbled on his bottom lip as he waited for Ginny to get home. It had been three days since he had discovered for certain that she had cheated on him at least once and was now apparently shopping for another man. In those three days, she had sent him a letter telling him that a big story had come up in Cardiff that she couldn’t turn down, so she would not be back as scheduled. The letter had, of course, sent Harry’s suspicions into overdrive, causing him to wonder if the ‘big story’ had a name. He sighed in frustration as nerves rampaged through him; he hadn’t been this nervous about talking to a girl since school.

 

One of the biggest problems, as he saw it, was not that she was now looking for another man, but that she had had one before. It changed the whole dynamic of their relationship and caused him to start questioning everything about what had seemingly made the two of them so good together. Had she been fantasising about another man every time they had had sex? Not that there was much of an ‘every time’, he thought, but still. What about the swiftly finished letters that had disappeared into her clothing or a convenient drawer the second Harry had entered the room? And the kids... His eyes closed as nausea swam through him. The thought had occurred to him last night that if Ginny had been cheating their entire marriage, then it was possible that his kids were not actually _his_ kids. He had immediately dismissed the thought, considering how each of the children shared at least one of his traits; personality-wise, if not physically. Any other options hurt too much to think about.

 

All of these considerations paled, however, in significance to the discovery of his own sexuality. And Draco; Gods, _what_ was he going to do about Draco? The two of them were ‘good’ in a way that Harry had never thought possible, despite their history. Before Draco, sex had always been about achieving his release as soon as possible. It had almost been a chore; a tool to be used as stress relief and to create children. But now... Harry sighed, threw himself back into the chair he was sitting on and scrubbed a hand through his hair. _Now_ he had developed a craving for the kind of satisfaction that only Draco had been able to give him so far. His stomach clenched in fear at the idea that a craving for sex wasn’t the only thing he was developing for Draco. Was it even possible for two people who had practically been sworn enemies for most of their lives to develop actual feelings for each other? Because there was definitely some kind of feelings there; Harry was just having difficulty sorting through them as they were so mixed up with everything else at the moment. There was no question in his mind that the craving he had for Draco had not been present when he had been having sex with Ginny. And that was another thing: since when had ‘Malfoy’ become ‘Draco’ in his mind? Sure, the animosity he had held against him at school had basically evaporated in the wake of the War, but in his mind, Draco had always been ‘Malfoy’. His given name just slipped so easily from Harry’s mouth now that it seemed ridiculous to go back. He shook his head as the memories of the last time they had been together rushed through his mind.

 

He had been tired, angry and hurting so bad after what he had discovered not just about his wife, but also about a man he had considered his friend for years. All he had wanted when he got back into the office had been a long, hot shower and to be left alone to stew in his anger over Ginny and Rhys. The fact that Draco had turned up when he had – of his own volition as well, which Harry thought had to be significant in some way – had presented Harry with the perfect opportunity for the release he was longing for. It had been the end of that encounter that had had Harry cringing in embarrassment ever since, however. He had the vague memory of acting like a clingy girlfriend while still drifting happily in his post-orgasmic mindlessness. After that particular demonstration of his scattered wits, he wouldn’t be surprised if he had scared Draco off permanently. Frowning as he realised that he really didn’t want Draco to leave him, Harry had to push it all to the back of his mind so he could examine it later. Tonight was about him and Ginny, not him and Draco. He shook himself out of the thoughts when the floo flared bright green, depositing his wife on the hearthrug.

 

“Harry, I wasn’t expecting you to wait up for me,” Ginny exclaimed as she stood brushing soot off her cloak. “How’s Lily?”

 

The show of concern for his daughter had Harry’s stomach clenching again. “We need to talk, Gin.”

 

“You should have called me if something went wrong with her!” Ginny made to move off towards the stairs that led to the bedrooms, but Harry reached out and grabbed hold of her wrist, preventing her from moving.

 

“Lily’s fine. _We_ need to talk.” He had to wonder if the anger he could hear in his voice was as obvious to his wife.

 

“If she’s fine, then can this wait until morning? I’m exhausted.”

 

Harry glanced up at her, swallowing hard against the renewed rise of nausea in his stomach. “I know about Rhys.”

 

The mix of emotions that crossed her face would have amused him if the topic had not been so serious. He knew, deep down, that this point right here really was the beginning of the end for the two of them, but he was still hoping against hope that she would have the dignity to not lie to him at this point. Surprise, fear and disbelief followed each other swiftly over Ginny’s face before she twisted her hand free and took the chair opposite Harry.

 

“What do you know about him?”

 

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Gin. You slept with him for six months after we were married. You dragged Hermione into this mess when you were discovered. You’ve been lying to me for at least 15 years, if not longer,” Harry spat, unable to contain the surge of rage that crashed through his chest. His hands clenched into tight fists on the arms of the chair as Ginny sat there, her expression blank. Surely this couldn’t be the reaction of a woman who was sorry for what she had done? He tightened his jaw for a few seconds in an attempt to release some of the anger that had crept into his voice before taking a deep breath. “You’re not even going to respond to me?”

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

The fire flared as Harry stood and stomped across the room away from her, his hands trembling from the effort he was exerting to control his magic. Anger and guilt combined to make his chest ache with each breath. He knew he was guilty of the exact same thing she was, but it seemed like more of a betrayal coming from her than it did from him. Yes, he had and was cheating with Draco, but Ginny had been cuckolding him for years at this point.

 

 “19 years, Gin. We’ve been together 19 years and all you can say to me is ‘I’m sorry’?” He could hear the tremble to his voice and he paused, taking a deep breath in an attempt to control his anger again. “How many others have there been?”

 

“Oh, come on, Harry!” He spun around when he heard her stand. She was facing him with anger clear in her eyes, her chest heaving as she breathed heavily. “You’ve _never_ been interested in me. Sure, we had sex, but it was to make the children, not because you wanted me at all. I loved you, I protected you; hell, I defended you when rumours started about why we hadn’t had kids yet. And what did I get in return? You seemed to want me to turn into my mother! The only time you were ever interested in having sex with me was when you wanted kids. You obviously were getting off somewhere else because you certainly weren’t interested in me at all. But I was happy to give you the kids you wanted, because I wanted them as well. So yes, I have had other men over the years, but it’s not like you haven’t had other women!”

 

Harry simply stood there staring at her for what felt like an eternity. She thought he had been cheating on her since the start of their marriage? With other _women_? How the hell had his life come to this? He had loved her faithfully until that one second in that stupid bathroom had ruined everything. He could probably have quite happily just gone on thinking that he was perfectly normal if it had not been for that one taunt he had sent Draco’s way in that bathroom. _Always knew you were a little poof._ That one simple sentence had changed his life forever and this is what it came down to: he and his wife battling it out because they were both sleeping with other men. Staring at her in those few seconds, Harry knew that this was the end of everything that had kept him safe and comfortable over the past 19 years. Tonight was the end of his marriage, his family and quite possibly the last night he would ever again have of complete privacy. Ginny had to know everything – he had to _tell_ her everything – so they were on an even footing, but beyond that... He shook his head sadly as he allowed himself to feel the sharp shock of grief over what he was about to do. Breathing deeply, he let go of the anger over what she had done as well as he could and prepared to deliver the deathblow to his own marriage.

 

“Say something; don’t just stare at me.”

 

“I’ve been sleeping with Malfoy.”

 

Silence stretched between them for a few seconds in which Ginny just blinked at him. “Draco’s wife?” Harry just continued to stare at her, willing her to come to the truth herself. It did not take long. “Oh... _oh!_ Oh, _Harry_.”

 

The anger had drained from her face as the realisation of what Harry was admitting to hit her: she had married a gay man, one who had been so deep in denial that not even she had suspected it. “It started a few weeks ago at the station, when we saw Al and James off to school. I’d never cheated on you before that moment, I swear. It hadn’t even occurred to me that I was gay, but it makes so much sense now. The thing is, Gin, when you rejected me that night, it was that moment that made me start to suspect you. At first, I just felt guilty because I thought that everything was normal between us, but I spoke to Hermione and she told me about the rumours she helped you to squash about you and Rhys the first time. I just,” he paused, running a hand through his hair as confusion washed through him. “ _Why_ didn’t you say something to me? Why did you go off with other men instead of just talking to me about it?”

 

“I don’t...” she sighed, sitting back down in the chair behind her again. “I don’t know. There was so much pressure on us after the War to marry and have kids; set the example for the rest of them. To show the world that if we could move on, then so could they. It – I – Gods, I don’t know! When it became obvious that you weren’t interested in me, I thought it was my fault. I thought that if I waited for you, then everything would stabilise.”

 

“‘Waited for me’? Yeah, you did a really good job of that one,” Harry snapped, his anger returning full-force at seemingly being blamed for her cheating on him. “You weren’t waiting; you were sleeping around.”

 

“Don’t be such a pig,” Ginny responded with equal heat. “Even if I had waited for you like the faithful dog you seem to think I should have been, you still wouldn’t have wanted me. That was always your problem: you can’t see past your own issues. I loved you and you rejected me! Do you have any idea how much that hurts?”

 

“Oh, no, I couldn’t _possibly_ know what it feels like to be sexually rejected by your own spouse.” The sarcasm in Harry’s voice caused Ginny to scowl at him so fiercely he was slightly surprised that his hair didn’t catch on fire. “Did you ever actually love _me_ , or was it The Boy Who Lived you wanted?”

 

“How _dare_ you, you–” Ginny spluttered to a stop, insulted outrage clear in her eyes. The look lasted a few seconds before she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, obviously trying to calm herself. It apparently worked, as when she reopened her eyes, the look she shot Harry would have frozen him solid if it had any power behind it. “I should have stayed with Ernie; I _actually_ loved him.”

 

The words hit Harry like a physical blow straight to his stomach. He staggered backwards, one arm wrapped around his stomach and his mind reeling. Ginny had been in love with someone named Ernie. Finding out that she had been cheating had been bad enough, but _love_? It had apparently not just been a series of one-night stands like Harry had hoped after she had broken it off with Rhys, but at least one proper relationship. How could she do this to him? To their kids? How was he supposed to deal with this? Glancing up, he caught the cold look in his wife’s eyes and came to an immediate decision. He was not going to deal with this; not now, at least. Straightening up, he twisted on the spot and Apparated straight to Grimmauld Place, leaving Ginny at their family home.

 

Landing on his knees on the hearthrug with a grunt sent up a cloud of dust, causing Harry to sneeze. He immediately waved his wand, casting anti-Apparition charms and locking the floo. There was no way he was going to allow anyone to see him like this, not even his friends. Hell, especially not his friends, considering his best friend was the brother of his bitch of a wife. Standing and glancing around, he decided that the gloomy house was the perfect setting for this particular miserable moment; the mood it set seemed fitting.

 

Harry had not been to Grimmauld in years, much preferring the house he and Ginny had bought after the War had ended. The dull light from the outside streetlight caught on something in the corner of his eye and he moved to get a closer look. Three big bottles of Ogden’s Old Firewhisky sat glinting in the light on the sideboard, apparently forgotten when they had basically abandoned the house years before. Glancing around almost as though he thought someone would pop out of the next room to stop him, Harry grasped hold of the next of the first, twisted the top off and took a deep swig. Coughing as the liquid burned its way down his throat, Harry decided that this was the perfect way to numb everything he had ever felt. Throwing himself down on the lounge in front of the fireplace, he proceeded to get resoundingly drunk.

 

*~*

 

_12 Grimmauld Place_

_Islington, London_

_Floo in, I’ll be waiting._

_– Harry_

 

Draco stared down at the barely legible note, his mind racing. What the hell did Potter think he was doing, sending a note like this to Draco at 10pm on a Friday night? Not only was it crass, but it also assumed that Draco had no life outside of his work and Potter. He was about to crumple it up and send it into the fire, when it was grabbed out of his hand from behind.

 

“Oh, ‘Harry’ is it now?” Astoria mused, a thoughtful tone to her voice. “Generally when you call someone by their first name, it indicates a deeper connection than ‘just sex’ implies, you know.”

 

She moved around the end of the lounge Draco was sitting on and dropped elegantly onto the opposite end, note still in hand. Draco rolled his eyes at the grin she shot him.

 

“It indicates nothing, because I’m not going anywhere.” The impatient huff of breath Astoria gave in response had Draco smiling a little in return. “Besides that, this is none of your business.” He knew it was the wrong thing to say the second her eyes widened with a gleam that had his stomach dropping into his shoes.

 

“Oh, so it’s none of my business that my _darling_ husband is falling head over heels in love with another man?” She waved the paper towards him, a wide smile lighting her face. “A man who sends him notes late at night requesting sex?”

 

“This is not a request for sex; it’s a demand to see me. A demand I intend to ignore,” Draco grumbled, trying and failing to frown at her as she grinned at him. “Now give me that.”

 

He shifted down the lounge and grabbed the piece of paper, capturing her fingers at the same time when she refused to let go. Astoria moved to stand in front of him, pushing him back until he sat properly on the lounge again, the note still held between the two of them.

 

“If you don’t go, I will. If he’s as badly in denial as you seem to think he is, then he probably wouldn’t turn me down.”

 

Draco narrowed his eyes at her, trying to see how serious she was. Judging from past experiences, she wouldn’t hesitate to take Potter up on any offer he made her; Draco had had a rather handsome young man stolen from under his nose when he had taken too long to respond and Astoria had discovered he was bisexual. Her reasoning that why waste such a pretty, young and eager man when she could teach him so much had, unfortunately, made sense to Draco at the time. Although, he had turned down the man’s offer to make it a trio. As much as he liked Astoria, he had never _liked_ her.

 

“You would too, wouldn’t you?” He frowned properly when her only response was to grin wider. “Wench.” Standing, he released her fingers, taking the paper with him.

 

“Good luck, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. I won’t bother waiting up.”

 

Draco rolled his eyes again as he threw a handful of powder into the fire and gave the address on the piece of paper. He knew that Grimmauld Place was the ancestral home of the Black family – and that it had been left to Potter by his Godfather – but he had never actually entered the house. Not that he had much time to look around when he arrived, as he had an armful of Potter the second he had righted himself. The stench of alcohol hit him immediately, choking him a little with the strength of it.

 

“Potter?” Draco’s arms had automatically gone around Potter’s waist and, judging by the strength of the smell, it was entirely possible that that was the only thing holding the idiot up at that moment. Swaying as he took almost the entirety of Potter’s weight, Draco turned his head in an attempt to get a fresh breath of air. His eyes lit on two empty bottles of Ogden’s and he sighed. “Potter, please tell me you spilt that Firewhisky and didn’t drink it.”

 

“You’re pretty.” There was a definite slur to the voice that was currently muffled due to Potter’s face being snuggled into the crook of Draco’s neck. “‘m horny. Want you.”

 

The movement of Potter’s hips against Draco’s thigh told him that while Potter may have been horny, there was no chance he was getting it up in this condition. Not that he would have taken advantage of him; it may have surprised some people, but even Draco had his standards and taking advantage of a drunken Potter did not meet them.

 

“You’re drunk, not horny,” he informed Potter as he moved him backwards and deposited him on the lounge. Potter landed with a thump, the back of his head bouncing off the lounge. He blinked owlishly up at Draco, licking his lips as his eyes travelled down Draco’s body. Draco sighed, knowing that Astoria had been right about her not needing to wait up; just for an entirely different reason. He slumped down on the lounge next to Potter, one hand automatically moving to stroke along Potter’s thigh. “Why are you drunk, Potter?”

 

“‘s what ya do when ya get dumped. And it’s Harry.” He leant in to bury his face in Draco’s neck again, snuffling and sighing as he apparently attempted to get comfortable. “Pretty.”

 

Potter wriggled around on the lounge before giving up any pretence and crawling into Draco’s lap. Draco clenched his hands on Potter’s hips, preventing him from getting closer as he resumed his snuffling against Draco’s neck. The sensation of having Potter attempting to get so close to him was sending thoughts through Draco’s mind that he knew he really shouldn’t be having right at that moment, so he pulled back a bit so he could see Potter’s face.

 

“You got dumped?”

 

Potter’s face softened for a fraction of a second, causing Draco to hope that he wouldn’t turn out to be a weepy drunk. “She’s in love with Ernie.”

 

Draco’s mind worked fast as Potter swayed forward again, obviously threatening to return to his snuffling. “Ernie Macmillan?”

 

“Really?” Potter swayed forward again, this time so he could press his forehead against Draco’s. “How d’you know?”

 

The suspicion he was being eyed with caused Draco to smile; Potter was much more amusing drunk than he was sober. “You said Ernie, so I assumed.”

 

“Mmm,” was the only response he got as Potter moved so his head was resting against Draco’s shoulder.

 

“I think we should get you to bed.”

 

“Stay with me.”

 

The whispered words sent a pleasant shiver up Draco’s spine. Casting a feather-light charm over Potter so he could carry him, Draco moved off up the stairs in the hallway to see if he could find a bedroom that looked as though it was inhabitable. The second room he opened seemed cleaner than the first, so he booted the door open wider and waved his wand carefully, cleaning the bed as best he could with the snoring burden in his arms.

 

He sat back on the edge of the bed once he had Potter settled; his boots and glasses removed and the covers tucked up under his chin. Staring down at him, Draco knew he had some difficult decisions to make and that they needed to be made before Potter awoke in the morning. He would be spending the night in Grimmauld; of that he was certain. He was also certain that he could not trust Ginny Weasley to not go running to the press with the information she had discovered that night. His carefully ordered life was about to change dramatically and he had to decide if that life would continue to include Potter in the role he had designated himself. He smiled as Potter let out a particularly loud snort and rolled over to face him, one hand stretched out as though reaching for him. In that moment he knew he didn’t have the strength to leave; knew that he was falling for Potter and that there was nothing he could really do to prevent it. Leaning over, he brushed the hair out of Potter’s eyes and placed a soft kiss on his forehead.

 

“Let’s hope you’re worth it, you annoying git.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter's so late; Draco was giving me attitude :) Hope everyone's holidays and New Years were good!

Everything ached. From the tips of Harry’s hair right down to the soles of his feet; _everything_ ached. Holding as still as he possibly could, he lamented the fact that he had to breathe to stay alive, as even the movement of his chest was a burden right at that moment. Running his tongue along the roof of his mouth proved to be a bad idea, as it only emphasised the fact that he had had way too much to drink the night before: fuzzy, foul-tasting and gross, it was almost enough to force him out of the soft bed so he could spend an hour or so brushing his teeth. Judging solely from the softness of the bed he was lying on, he assumed that he had somehow made it to one of the bedrooms in Grimmauld the night before; although how, he had no idea. The last thing he remembered clearly was deciding that the bottles of Ogden’s looked quite good and he desperately hoped that he hadn’t managed to consume all three. It had been many years since he had indulged himself in this idiotic way and he was in the process of silently declaring that he never would again when the sound of footsteps reached his ears. He knew that there had been no one in the house the night before when he had arrived and the only person he could think of who could possibly be after him that morning was Ginny. Cringing a little as the door opened quietly, he held his breath, hoping whoever it was would just leave him to his fate.

 

“Aren’t you awake yet?”

 

The force of will it took to prevent himself from frowning at what sounded like Draco’s voice was surprising to Harry, but he managed it, as he knew it would just hurt more. What the hell Draco was doing in Grimmauld Place the morning after Harry’s worst ever bender was a complete mystery to him, especially considering the Fidelius charm that was still hiding the place. The footsteps moved towards him and something hard was placed down on what Harry assumed was a bedside table.

 

“You aren’t even going to respond to me this morning?”

 

Harry did frown this time and immediately regretted it as his head throbbed in time to his pulse. Letting out a soft moan, he buried his head in under the pillow. Yes, his body ached, but not in _that_ way, so he knew that whatever Draco was doing there, it had not involved sex. His body thrummed at the idea of sex – or maybe it was just the idea of sex with Draco – telling him that no matter how shit he felt, an orgasm was still an orgasm. The knowledge that activating the pleasure centres of the brain could help with pain management flittered uselessly through his mind and he silently cursed his Auror mentor for informing him of that little titbit. He was not begging for sex to relieve a bit of his hangover, no matter how appealing the idea was to his mushy-feeling mind. The fact that he always experienced a bit of vertigo when hung-over didn’t even have time to factor into his thought process, because he had dismissed the idea before it could take hold. He groaned again, more in objection to his body’s poor timing than anything else and moved the pillow a little so his voice wasn’t muffled.

 

“If you want sex–” he paused, his eyes watering behind his closed lids. Sweet Merlin, his breath was rancid! “You’ll have to do all the work. I’m not moving.”

 

The quiet laugh he received in response sent a shiver of pleasure up Harry’s spine. It was surprisingly deep and melodious and he could just imagine how it would light up Draco’s face in the same way his smile did; softening his pointed features. It was very tempting to open his eyes and see if he was right, but he repressed the urge. There was no way he was going to give away the fact that he had been wondering if it was possible for the two of them to have something more than what they currently did and he knew that he had the tendency to be a lot more honest than he really should when hung-over. It was one of the things about him that the rest of the Auror locker room had found incredibly useful over the years: if something big was coming up, they always tried to get him a bit sloshed the night before.

 

The fact that it had been less than a month since the first time he had been with Draco had been playing on Harry’s mind every time these thoughts crossed his mind and it gave him pause each time. Since it had only been three weeks, he had to wonder if what he was feeling towards Draco was simply relief over finally discovering his true sexuality. Then again, he reconsidered – as he always did when he was having this debate with himself – he had done more with Draco in less than a month than he had with anyone else before. He had been more open, more honest, more... _everything_ with Draco than he had been with anyone, including the woman he had thought himself in love with for 19 years. He frowned again and focussed all his energy on listening to whatever it was Draco was doing in the room when he realised that he was about to start a cycle of questions he couldn’t answer yet again. The footsteps moved across the room and Harry’s frown deepened, despite the throbbing in his head.

 

“Stay under the pillow; this might hurt.” The words were followed swiftly by the sound of the curtains being thrown open and the window sliding up. Harry snuggled further down beneath both the pillow and covers, receiving an amused sound in response. “The others thought you may have expired in here, all by yourself. It would be a bit of a disappointment for the rest of the world, you know. For you to survive everything you’ve survived only to be brought down by the discovery of your sexuality and the fact that your wife is apparently a bitch. I could have told you that back in school, by the way. Neither of the others was game enough to risk coming in and waking you, so they sent me. Not that I’d ever tell either Granger or Astoria that they lacked the backbone to do anything... You are _never_ to repeat that, by the way.”

 

Hermione? And was that nerves Harry could hear beneath the obviously feigned disinterest in Draco’s voice? This was at least close to the longest string of words he thought he had ever heard Draco utter at one time since the trials; it was almost only one breath. Years spent listening to the different cadences of various people’s voices had rendered Harry a fairly accurate judge of the tone of someone’s voice, even if he couldn’t read people’s faces as well as he should be able to after nearly 20 years of Auror work. He didn’t think he had heard this level of nerves from Draco since the trials, but he couldn’t seem to work out why he was so nervous. Biting back a sigh as he realised that it was time to come out from under the pillow, he took a deep breath and slowly slid out from his warm cocoon. A quick twitch of his hand in the direction of the bed curtains closed the ones behind him so he could see without his eyes watering in pain.

 

“Draco?” He blinked, trying to bring him into focus in the still too-bright light and without his glasses.

 

“Take the hangover potion; we’ve been waiting for you.”

 

Yes, Harry decided, it was definitely nerves he was hearing. “Wait,” he paused again, surprised at how gruff his voice sounded. “What’s going on?”

 

Harry blinked rapidly again as the black-and-white-clad, vaguely Draco-shaped blob sighed and moved back towards the bed. The blob leant over towards the bedside table and Harry found his glasses being waved before his nose, followed swiftly by the hangover potion. Draco stayed standing near the bedside table, his left hand twitching by his side as he stared down at Harry. Taking stock as he sat up properly, Harry blinked rapidly again as he felt the potion taking an almost immediate effect, not only clearing his headache, but also flooding his mouth with peppermint. A small noise from Draco had Harry glancing up to see that he was now watching him with his arms crossed across his chest, a slightly impatient look on his face. Harry took a few seconds to mourn the loss of the apparent good humour that Draco had had a few minutes ago before sighing in satisfaction.

 

“Thank you.” When the only response he received was the arch of an incredibly pale eyebrow, he smiled a little. “I assume you brewed that?”

 

Draco merely stood almost-glaring at him for a nearly a full minute, according to the clock that was slowly ticking on the bedside table. Looking at him, Harry realised that he had lost none of the ability to annoy him with that look of smug superiority that he seemed to have perfected over the years. His grey eyes had turned stormy in the tiny amount of time between him entering the room and Harry sitting up, which Harry considered a real loss, especially considering what they had probably looked like before he lost the tone of amusement. He had absolutely no idea why Draco’s eyes seemed to fascinate him so much, but he was still slightly too dizzy to want to work it out just yet. The silence was beginning to make Harry uncomfortable and fidgety, but the second he made the decision to move and just ignore Draco, he spoke.

 

“What do you remember about last night?”

 

The harsh tone of voice had Harry wishing nearly immediately for the silence to return. He had a brief moment of panic that he had done something incredibly embarrassing, but if he had, then why would Draco have stuck around? Clamping down on the sudden urge to lash out at him in irritation, Harry scanned his memory for anything past the Ogden’s bottles, but had to admit that there was simply nothing there.

 

“I remember arriving at Grimmauld, but that’s it, really. I don’t remember anything beyond that. Why?”

 

“Nothing? You don’t remember sending me a note at 10pm, demanding my presence here?”

 

Harry could feel his eyes widening. Maybe this was why Draco was so pissy this morning? But then, if he was angry about Harry sending him a note asking him to come to Grimmauld, why had he been in such a good mood earlier? Why had that good mood changed the second Harry had sat up? And why was Hermione apparently here?

 

“What am I missing? What have I done?”

 

“Done?” It sounded very much like Draco was scoffing at him, but Harry had no idea why. Nerves fluttered through his stomach as Draco stepped closer, his eyes flashing. “Why _me_ Potter?”

 

Completely stumped as to why the conversation – if that was what you could call this – had gone in this direction, all Harry could do was frown in confusion. “What?”

 

“You hate me; you always have. Why would that change in the matter of three weeks? It can’t be because of the sex; you can do that without any kind of feelings, or with someone you hate. Why would you change your mind about me when you have clearly felt nothing but contempt for me practically your entire life?”

 

Draco stopped at the side of the bed, his hands now by his sides, clenching sporadically. Staring up into Draco’s face, Harry knew that anyone who came across him at that moment could have read that expression: fear, bordering on terror. Draco was scared, although of what, Harry couldn’t tell. Did he want to know how Harry had fantasised about him in school? Did he want Harry to lie and say that it was a recent thing? Had he not been listening when Harry had told him how much he wanted him before? Since he had absolutely nothing to go off, Harry decided to stick with the absolute truth, as it had always been the best option for him so far.

 

“I want you.”

 

“No, no, no!” The vulnerability that now entered Draco’s eyes was almost heartbreaking for Harry, as he was so used to seeing him so self-assured. Realisation dawned in the back of Harry’s mind just before Draco continued. “Wanting sex is completely different to wanting the person you’re having sex with. I need to know, before we go any further with this, that this isn’t just about the sex for you. Because...”

 

The words trailed off as Draco spun around to face the door. Harry’s fingers twitched with the need to touch him, but he resisted, knowing that if he did, he would probably find himself jinxed. He knew he was seeing the proof that this was more to Draco than simple sex; more than revenge. Draco obviously had some kind of feelings for him, or else he wouldn’t have been reacting like this.

 

“There are only two types of completely honest people in this world, Potter: the very young and the very drunk. Someone as drunk as you were last night doesn’t lie. You _should_ have contacted either Granger or Weasley last night; they are the logical ones for you to want to speak to after what happened. Not only did you get in touch with me instead of either of them, but you also kept confirming that...” He trailed off again, his hands clenched by his sides and his entire body so tense Harry could see him trembling.

 

“Draco,” Harry began in a tone that he hoped was soothing, as he really didn’t like the idea of having to dodge spells being shot at him in his current condition.

 

“No,” Draco spun around again, allowing Harry to see the spots of colour on his cheeks as he glared at him. “Look, for the past thirteen years, my only concern has been keeping Astoria and Scorpius safe. I haven’t allowed myself to form an emotional attachment to any man in that time, because of the risk that they would run to the press with tales that they had ‘scored the head of the Malfoy fortune.’ Each and every one of them has been planned and researched down to the finest point. Then you came along and fucked everything up! It wasn’t supposed to happen with you; not in that bathroom, not _ever_. You were a risk I couldn’t take. I need to know what this is to you because...” He threw his hands in the air, a hopeless look on his face. “I’m in. As fucking _stupid_ as the idea is – because I know exactly what’s coming over the next few months – I want to see this through.”

 

Watching as Draco stared at him, Harry had to wonder if this was actually real. Maybe he was dreaming, because it seemed that Draco Malfoy was... What? Asking him out? No, this was more than a date. Declaring his intentions? As pretentious as it sounded, that phrase seemed to fit with what Draco was proposing; a formal arrangement that would see the two of them in something that very much resembled a relationship. Or perhaps something a little more, like a real relationship. Harry smiled, the idea sending a warm feeling through his stomach.

 

“If you choose to mock me right now, Potter, I swear –”

 

“No, no mocking,” Harry was quick to respond, raising his hands in a placating gesture as he slid out of the bed. “But there are things you have to take into consideration when it comes to me. I can’t avoid publicity or the press and neither can anyone attached to me. Because of that, my kids have to come first. I put their safety before Ginny’s and I _will_ put them before yours as well. Lily’s only ten years old and still at home, so she’ll cop the brunt of what’s about to come until the boys come home for Christmas. In some respects, it’ll be even worse for you if this gets out–”

 

“‘Gets out’? Already ashamed are you?”

 

Anger welled in Harry’s chest at the ridiculous assumption Draco had apparently just jumped to. Clenching his hands by his sides, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly before meeting the bloody idiot’s eyes. That proved to be a mistake as Draco was sneering at him and appeared to be about to leave, causing the burning anger to rise in Harry’s chest again.

 

“For fuck’s sake, Malfoy, how fucking dense are you? You already know how much I want you – how much I want _this_ – so I can’t see why you’d be pissed off at me right now.” Harry closed the distance between them in a few – still slightly unstable – steps and stood nose-to-nose with Draco, whose eyes flashed with something unidentifiable as Harry continued to let his frustration loose. “I have _never_ felt like this for anyone before. Is that what you want to hear? Yes, you will come second to my kids, but that’s it! I’ll probably wind up third or even fourth on your priority list after your son, your wife and then your fucking _money_! You are the biggest, most arrogant arse I have ever met! Astoria really does have my sympathy for having to put up with you for the past–”

 

His words were cut off again, but this time it was because Draco had grasped hold of the front of his shirt and pulled him into a harsh kiss. Harry tried to pull back, but Draco’s arms wound around his waist, pulling him closer as he shoved his tongue into Harry’s mouth. He knew he could easily overpower Draco – skinny runt that he was – but really, wasn’t this what he had been craving? Draco willingly coming to him, willingly discussing what he felt? Well, he reconsidered, Draco snarking at him, then being yelled at, at least. The kiss was broken the second Harry began to relax.

 

“I just thought I’d shut you up before you said something we’d both regret.”

 

“Oh, I wouldn’t have regretted it, believe me.”

 

“Now, now, Potter, there’s no need for such dramatics. Shower and get changed – there are fresh clothes on the bedside – then come downstairs. We’ve been waiting hours for you to wake up; don’t make us wait any longer, please.”

 

With a quick squeeze of Harry’s arse, Draco turned on his heel and left the room, leaving Harry staring open-mouthed after him. What the fuck was that? Had he just been played? Was that declaration all Draco had wanted out of him? _Why_ did his life have to be so bloody confusing? Shaking his head, he turned and made his way slowly into the en suite, his thoughts more confused now than they had been in quite a while.


	11. Chapter 11

“What the _hell_ was that?” Draco could hear the annoyance at himself in his voice and scowled, his irritation doubling because he could not seem to get control over his emotions.

 

He thunked his head back against the door to the bedroom the second he heard the shower start up behind him. He knew his reactions to Potter – Harry – were strange and made him seem slightly unstable. He also knew that Potter – _Harry_ – was much surer of this than he was. Despite knowing that everything that he wanted was on offer here, Draco was still cautious about how much he should show; how invested he should allow himself to become. There were so many questions he had about why Potter – _Harry!_ – was so much more comfortable showing the kinds of emotions involved in a relationship than he was and why he seemed to be so ill at ease in comparison. How could Potter – he sighed, giving up on trying to correct himself – have adjusted to the idea of being with a man so quickly? Draco now knew for a fact that he had not been lied to when he had questioned why Potter had chosen him to be with; that he had apparently wanted him for years, but had ignored it. So why was he still hesitating when it came to showing how he felt? Maybe the years of denying himself a proper relationship had made him rusty at being a ‘real’ person?

 

“Draco?”

 

He jumped at the sound of Astoria’s voice coming from the top of the stairs. Pushing off away from the door, he smiled, relaxing slightly; she was the one person he was guaranteed to be able to understand completely and who knew exactly how to react to his usual grumpiness and general inability to express himself the way he should.

 

“Tori,” he began, but she interrupted him.

 

“What happened? Why do you look so stressed? He didn’t turn you down did he?”

 

The defensiveness in her voice sent a feeling of warmth through him; it was nice knowing that if anything bad happened between him and Potter, Astoria would most likely hex him senseless. “No, he didn’t –”

 

“ _You_ didn’t turn _him_ down, did you?” The defensiveness had turned to suspicion in a split second, causing Draco to have to resist the urge to roll his eyes. “Because if you did, Malfoy, then I swear I’ll divorce you on principal!”

 

He smiled properly this time. He didn’t think he would ever be able to work out how women could switch focus so quickly and found he was in no hurry to remedy this lack of knowledge. Moving down the hallway towards her, he breathed deeply, trying to get a hold of his emotions again and shove them back down where they belonged. His crazy Aunt Bellatrix had spent so long teaching him how to compartmentalise everything and it had always been a struggle for him, but once he had understood exactly how to do it, he had never forgotten. His smile widened when he felt his usual calm coming over him.

 

“I’m not an idiot; give me some credit. Potter is in the shower and will be down soon.” He noticed her slightly quirked eyebrow at his use of Potter’s surname, but he ignored it. It was going to take a while for him to change his way of thinking about Potter, so there was no point in making a big deal out of it. He grinned as he reached her and grasped hold of her arm. “And no, you cannot wait here so you can interrogate him about what I did, or what I said.”

 

“God, where has your sense of humour gone?”

 

“I never had one to begin with.”

 

Astoria grinned at him in a way that reminded him sharply of Scorpius at his mischievous best as he guided her down the stairs and back into the living room. He nodded briefly at Granger, who nodded back, then took the lounge beside the fire, allowing the women to start up a conversation about the inner workings of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, which he promptly tuned out. It didn’t take long before they heard the clumping sounds of Potter’s boots on the stairs as he made his way slowly down to them. Draco had found it more than a little surprising that Granger had showed up there that morning, but figured that it was a very good thing, considering what had apparently happened the night before. She had refused to share what Weasley had done after Potter had left her, stating that it was better that they all found out together. What he did not find surprising was that Granger had already known about Draco and what had happened between them so far. He had figured that Potter had had some kind of outlet for what was happening and Granger made the most sense.

 

“Harry!”

 

Draco’s eyes followed Granger’s progress as she made her way across the living room so she could wrap Potter in a tight embrace. He looked away as an irrational surge of envy threatened to strangle him at the sight. Unfortunately, his eyes wandered automatically over to Astoria, who had a knowing look on her face. So. Apparently he had not been able to hide his reactions from her. Not that it mattered if Astoria saw him reacting to Potter, but it would be nice to have some secrets for once.

 

“Hermione, what are you doing here? What about Ron? And your kids?” Potter sounded weary, almost defeated, which made Draco glance up at him. He held Granger at arm’s length and was smiling down at her with an affection that Draco felt vaguely uncomfortable seeing, like this should have been a private moment for the two of them. “I would have understood if you’d stayed home. Ron’s your husband, after all.”

 

“Don’t be silly, Harry. Ronald knows that if he tried to make me choose between you and Ginny, you would win hands down, especially after last night.” There was a tone to Granger’s voice that said she thought Potter was being as ridiculous as she had accused him of being. “I made sure to tell him what you told me – well _most_ of what you told me – after Ginny had calmed down enough that she went to bed. I also told him about the rumours with Rhys at the start of your marriage. Oh, and Lily’s with Molly and Arthur, by the way.”

 

“Gods, Lily! I...” he paused, releasing Granger and moving over so he could flop down on the opposite end of Draco’s lounge, his hands running through his wild hair. The near-despair only lasted a few seconds, however, before he seemed to steel himself, looking back up at Granger with a determination that Draco knew probably hid a lot of turmoil that would have to be dealt with sooner rather than later. “Thank you, I obviously wasn’t thinking straight last night when I left her with Ginny. So Ron knows that the cheating went both ways then? And he didn’t try to stop you coming here?”

 

“What I told him was that you had found someone who was much better suited to you than Ginny was. I really don’t think it was my place to ‘out’ you to him; Draco either, for that matter.” Draco blinked at that last part before nodding in thanks to her. He knew it was going to happen, but he would much rather it happened on his terms than Ginny Weasley’s. “I knew he wouldn’t stop me from coming here, but I’m not sure what he’ll do about Ginny. I don’t know if he’ll stick to her and her story or if he’ll try to mediate between you. I’m sorry, Harry.”

 

Draco’s eyes automatically went to Harry to see his reaction. He missed it completely however, when he realised that he had just thought of Harry as _Harry_. What significance this tiny shift in his thinking held, he had no idea, but he knew he couldn’t let it distract him. Storing the thought away for later examination, he refocussed on what was happening before him.

 

“No, Hermione, you were right. I’ll have to talk to him myself; this is something that needs to be done in person.” Harry sighed, running his hands through his hair again, but this time, it was with more resolve than before. “Ok, let me have it: what happened exactly?”

 

Granger eyed him for a few seconds before nodding. “Ginny came straight to our house last night after you left. She was crying and saying you had been cheating on her for years. Of course, she was making out that you were the bad guy and that she was the victim. There was no mention of any wrong-doing on her part, not even when I asked.” She held a hand up when Harry made a sound of objection, silencing him quite effectively. “I was subtle, don’t worry. Now, Ginny was obviously upset, although I don’t believe for a second that it was because you left her last night. No offence, Harry, but anyone willing to cheat on their spouse for as long as she has isn’t going to miss them when they break up. I know that Ron was willing to believe her and that he was angry, but after I told him that there was more to this than what Ginny was telling him, he seemed to calm down a bit. I think he’ll be amenable to hearing you out, but I really wouldn’t expect him to be nice about it for a little while.”

 

“It’s ok; I wouldn’t expect anything less from him. She is his sister, after all.”

 

Granger smiled in acknowledgement of his words before continuing. “I think the thing you’ll have to worry about is the press, more than _her_ personally. If she wants to play the victim as badly as she appears to want to, then she won’t want to risk looking bad in front of the press that she’s bound to involve. I think she’ll try to keep her activities out of the papers for as long as possible, to gain the sympathy of the public. We all know how willing people are to believe bad things about you, so I think she’ll try to play off that. The thing is, Harry,” she sighed and shot Draco an apologetic look before continuing. “You and Draco are going to go public a lot faster than her and Rhys, or whoever it is she’s with now. She was making noises about Rita Skeeter and the _Quibbler_ and a couple of other magazines. If she gets to them first, then this will blow up faster than anything else you’ve been involved with since the War. Skeeter isn’t going to let a story this juicy go, no matter how many times I threaten her, which is how I helped keep Ginny and Rhys out of the papers.”

 

Draco had been watching her as she spoke and he saw true regret flash across her face with those last words. So Granger had helped the Weaselette to keep her secret, had she? It was obvious that she regretted it; had probably, in fact, not even known the full story at that stage. He glanced back to Harry to see him quickly look away. The urge to frown in confusion almost overwhelmed Draco before he dragged his attention back to Granger, who had started speaking again.

 

“Now, will you please tell us your version of what happened?”

 

Harry sat still for a few seconds, simply staring down at the floor before looking up at her again. “I had made the decision to confront her and find out what was really going on after I spoke to Rhys the other day. He had given me enough information to believe that she was still cheating on me, so I confronted her with the information he had given me the second she got back from Holyhead. She wanted to put off talking to me, but I insisted. After telling her I knew about Rhys, she accused me of sleeping around. She said the reason I wasn’t interested in her was because I had been being satisfied somewhere else for years. She actually seemed to calm down a little when I told her the real person I’ve been sleeping with.” Draco could have sworn that he saw a spot of colour appear on Harry’s cheek at that, but Harry turned his head away from him so he couldn’t see his face. “I, er, I know that at least some of her anger was caused by me, because I lost my temper and accused her of only wanting me for whatever fame I have rather than actually wanting _me_. That was when she said she should have stayed with Ernie because she had loved him. No, before you ask, I don’t know Ernie’s last name.”

 

The effort Draco put in to try to stop himself from laughing at this last part was surprising even to him. The memory of Harry in his drunken state the night before, assuming Draco knew this Ernie because he had taken a guess at his last name was going to amuse him for a long time to come. Knowing he needed to distract himself so he didn’t laugh aloud, he cleared his throat, gaining the attention of everyone in the room.

 

“If I may?” He waited until Granger had nodded before continuing. “There are certain members of the press who owe me favours; just for little things. I could pull a few strings with them and possibly prevent the story from going out straightaway, if I get to them in time.” The astonished look Granger shot him caused Draco to offer up a mild smile, one usually reserved for people of influence he didn’t wish to offend by not laughing at a stupid joke.

 

“You have influence over the higher-ups in the press? Is that how you’ve managed to stay out of the papers for so long after the end of the War?”

 

“I believe that to be due to a combination of bribery, threats and my managing to marry a woman who truly knows the meaning of subtlety. The fact that my work can be done from the privacy of the Manor has helped as well.”

 

Granger nodded thoughtfully before getting back on track. Draco had the feeling that he was being measured against something, but found he didn’t have the thought processes to spare to worry what Granger thought of him. His mind was already racing through what he could do about various members of the press to keep them sufficiently quiet for a decent amount of time so they could get some of this sorted in relative privacy.

 

“Ok, so if you’re willing to try to get to some of them before Ginny can, that would be brilliant. Harry, you will need to speak to Kingsley and warn him about what’s going to happen. When you talk to Ron about this is up to you, of course, but remember that you’ll probably have to talk to Molly and Arthur as well. I honestly have no idea how they’ll react to this. Or to the information that’s going to come out about Ginny either.”

 

“They probably won’t believe anything about Ginny that I try to tell them, Hermione. I’ll try, but it’s highly unlikely that anything will happen there other than them ordering me off their property.” He shook his head as though to clear it, obviously locking something down before he spoke again. “Look, you’ve offered to do more than your fair share here. I think for the rest of the day, I just want to stay here alone and get some perspective on what’s happened. It’s... Well, honestly, it’s a bit overwhelming having to take it all in at once.”

 

Draco glanced once around the room, watching Astoria standing in preparation to leave and Granger nodding in acknowledgement. He knew he should be doing the same, but he found himself reluctant, so he merely sat there as the other two took their leave. Astoria raised an eyebrow at him before exiting through the floo and he knew that he would have questions to answer when he got back to the Manor. He stayed even when Granger stood and farewelled Harry, leaving after giving Draco a knowing look.

 

“Well.”

 

Harry turned to look at Draco the second they were alone. Draco could hear nerves in the slight tremble to his voice, but he cleared his throat immediately, as though he hadn’t wanted to reveal that much. He bowed his head so he could rub a hand along the back of his neck, a strange smile on his face. Draco rose from the lounge and moved to stand directly in front of Harry, holding back a smile when he saw his head snap back up and his pupils dilate.

 

“Thank you again for the, er, the potion. And, well, for putting up with everything so far, really. I know that you don’t have to and that you could probably find someone else really easily, but...” He sighed, meeting Draco’s eyes with that same determination Draco had seen earlier; the one that seemed to be hiding something deeper. “I meant what I said upstairs, you know. There’s never been anyone able to get me going in the same way you can.”

 

Draco blinked in surprise again. Desire shot through him when Harry stepped forward a little, not touching him, but coming very close. He ran through a number of questions quickly while his brain was still functioning enough to be able to actually question his actions. Was this really what he should be focussing on right now? Shouldn’t Harry be trying to contact various people to start the damage control? Was sex really the best idea if Harry had been so nauseous earlier?

 

“Come on, Malfoy. If I have to insult you to get you hard each time, it’s going to get old really fast.”

 

The challenge in Potter’s eyes and voice was all the prompting Draco needed. Grabbing a handful of Potter’s thick hair, he tilted his head back and pressed their mouths together. The potion had made Potter’s mouth taste of peppermint, causing Draco to hum in appreciation as he slid his tongue into the welcoming warmth. It seemed Potter wasn’t going to just submit this time, though and Draco found himself being pushed back towards the lounge. He grunted as the backs of his knees hit the lounge and he sat down, breaking the kiss at the same time. Potter gave him no time to gather his wits, as he landed in Draco’s lap straightaway, grinding his hips against Draco’s.

 

“Mmm, that’s much better.” Potter’s voice was rough against Draco’s ear, causing a shiver of desire to ripple through him. “What was it you told me that first time? ‘Malfoy’s don’t bottom’? Let’s test that theory, huh?”

 

Potter waved his hand, Vanishing every stitch of clothing separating them before Draco had time to react to his words. It only took a few seconds, though, before he grabbed hold of Potter’s hips, stopping him from moving on top of him.

 

“I meant what I said, Potter.”

 

“Really?” The mocking tone to Potter’s voice set Draco’s nerves on edge and sent the desire to teach him a lesson rumbling through his stomach. “Prove it.”

 

Not thinking about what he was doing, Draco shoved Potter off him onto the floor. Muttering the preparation and lubrication charms, he grabbed Potter and moved him so he was leaning forward against the lounge, completely open to Draco’s hungry eyes. He ran his hand down Potter’s spine, receiving a shiver in response.

 

“Do it.” Potter turned to glare at him through slitted green eyes. “Fuck me. I want to forget about everything.”

 

More than willing to oblige at this point, Draco thrust in in one smooth action. The groan and clenching of his muscles Potter gave in response had Draco’s eyes closing in pleasure. Whether that reaction was from pain or pleasure, Draco couldn’t tell; all he knew right at that moment was he felt _good_. His hands moved to rest on Potter’s hips, holding him still as he began to wriggle.

 

“Damn it, Malfoy, _move_ ,” Potter growled at him, shoving back against him.

 

Sliding one hand around to grasp hold of Potter’s cock, Draco leant in close so his lips were brushing against the shell of his ear. “Impatient little shit today, aren’t you?” He stroked his hand along Potter’s length, enjoying the weight of him in his hand. “One day, Potter, I’m going to teach you to enjoy being fucked so slowly you feel as though you’ll lose your mind. I’ll bring you so close to orgasm, needing just that one little bit, that one touch that will send you over the edge and then leave you wanting. You’ll be so hot and desperate for me that you’ll _beg_ me to relieve your suffering; writhing and groaning like the wanton little hussy you truly are.”

 

“Yes,” Potter breathed as he pushed back against Draco again. “Not now, though... Fuck me now... Tease me later.”

 

The breathless words sent a shiver down Draco’s spine and he found he couldn’t resist obeying the demand. Pulling out and slamming back in produced a moan from Potter so obscene Draco huffed out a breath in surprise. He had not thought it possible for a man to make a sound like that, but he _liked_ it. He liked even more that he had caused it. Getting into a rhythm quickly, Draco soon realised that Potter was much noisier now than he had been any other time. That first moan was not the only new sound Draco managed to drag out of him and all of them built the fire in Draco’s belly as his tempo increased. Stroking his hand along Potter’s cock to the same rhythm as his hips became slightly difficult when his hips began to stutter after only about a minute or so. The pleasure shooting through him was too much; he was going to come way too soon. Sliding his free hand down to massage Potter’s tight sac, Draco had to squeeze his eyes shut and concentrate very hard on keeping hold of his control.

 

“Come, Harry,” he gasped, completely out of breath and unsure he could hold on any longer. “Come for me.”

 

He was rewarded with a strangled cry from Potter as his cock began pulsing in Draco’s hand. Thankful that he could let go, Draco thrust in hard one more time, then stilled. He ground his hips into Potter’s arse, burying himself as deep as possible as he came. The sharp shocks of pleasure that spilled through him threatened to take his consciousness with them as they began to ebb.

 

“Harry,” Draco murmured as he fell to the side to lie on the hearthrug, casting a cleansing charm over the both of them.

 

“Thank you.”

 

Harry sagged down so he was resting half-on, half-off Draco’s chest. Draco automatically moved a hand to rest at the base of Harry’s spine, holding him close. That was how he fell asleep; with Harry on top of him, the two of them completely sated.


	12. Chapter 12

“Malfoy? What the hell are you doing here?”

 

Draco smiled at the tone of surprise to Yasmine Archibald‘s voice as he entered her office. She was the last of the Chiefs of the newspapers that he had to visit that afternoon and he knew she would be the hardest to convince to see things his way. Every one of the other Chiefs of the major papers had owed him a favour, making it easy to silence them. Yasmine, on the other hand, had resisted every single offer of assistance Draco had made over the years and therefore had avoided finding herself in his debt. He knew that there was one slight chance that he had something that he could use on her, but he had no idea if it would work against the kind of money the story on he and Harry could make for her. He had not had a challenge like this in a long time; it was hopefully going to prove to be quite fun.

 

“Hello to you too, Yasmine; nice to see you have lost none of your subtlety.”

 

Moving into the room, Draco stopped just before her desk, his hands clasped behind his back. He had perfected his routine of intimidation many years before, but he had the feeling that it wouldn’t work on Yasmine the same way it worked on her dull-witted colleagues. Raising an eyebrow when she did not react to the insult earned him a roll of her eyes. Everything about this woman seemed to have been designed to give off the impression of her being as stupid as the rest of the brainless laggards who worked at the _Prophet_ : her fashionable haircut and clothing, her obviously bleached blonde hair, the expression of eagerness that she usually wore. Draco knew better, however. Anyone sharp enough to avoid falling into the subtle political traps he had laid over the years had to be considered a worthy adversary, even if the battlefield was only a newspaper office.

 

“I’ll take a scotch, thanks for asking.”

 

Smirking when she rolled her eyes again and stood to fetch the drink, Draco strolled over to the window that overlooked Diagon Alley, watching the people bustling around. He knew he had to play this one carefully, because the second Rita Skeeter got scent of scandal in the Potter or Malfoy families, she would pounce on it; especially if it involved the both of them. The two of them were worth the front page separately; Draco knew that when word got out about what was currently happening, they would be hounded for months.

 

“To what do I owe the... well. Why are you here?”

 

Draco smiled properly as Yasmine expertly returned the subtle insult. Yes, he decided, breaking her would be worth any effort he put in here today. Sipping at the tumbler of scotch she had handed him allowed him just enough time before answering that he knew it would have annoyed her.

 

“Is it really so unusual for me to wish to keep up with the news that my every action has to be called into question?”

 

“Yes.”

 

_Damn_. Apparently she was not going to be drawn in that easily. Turning to meet her sharp brown eyes, he offered a small smile. He was about to try another tactic when she cut him off.

 

“Look Malfoy, I am a very busy woman, despite the fact that it’s a Saturday afternoon. Why not just tell me what you want so I can turn you down and kick you out?”

 

Draco pretended to consider the idea as he sipped at the scotch. It was really quite good quality; something he had not expected from the offices of the _Prophet_. Moving just as slowly as he had when he had walked over to the window, he made his way around the room, brushing his fingers over the spines of the books she had on the shelves. He made certain to move in just the right way so that his robes flowed in the same way his Father’s had when he had spent most of his time intimidating moronic Ministry staff. Having the Malfoy flair for the dramatic did come in handy sometimes, he had to admit. Spinning around when he reached the door, he placed his empty glass on a stack of newspapers.

 

“How are your family?” He had to bite back a vicious grin as her expression shuttered. “I know your kids are both safe at Hogwarts, but how about that husband of yours?”

 

“What. Do. You. Want, Malfoy?” There was now an undisguised anger to her voice, telling Draco that he had been right about her one soft spot. “Tell me now or I’ll call the guards and get you kicked out in front of everyone and believe me, they’ll enjoy it.”

 

Strolling forward with his hands clasped behind his back again, Draco knew he was on the verge of winning. A few more jabs and he should have her eating out of his hand. He draped himself elegantly on the chair in front of her desk, treating it as though it was a throne rather than the uncomfortable, shitty wooden chair that it truly was. Father had taught him that the secret to intimidation was confidence. If you looked like you belonged there and knew exactly what you were doing, then people would believe you, even if they knew in the back of their minds that what they were seeing was wrong. Now, Draco only had the tiniest amount of information on Yasmine’s husband, but with his years of practice in the kind of political manoeuvres he was used to making, he knew he could use it to his advantage.

 

“Is he back from his little trip to America?”

 

There was now nothing about the woman before him that suggested that she was anything other than the cunning and intelligent person who had connived her way up to her current position in one of the shortest amounts of time ever. Her jaw clenched in obvious anger at the same time her hands did and Draco had to bite back a triumphant smile.

 

“What do you know?”

 

This time he did smile; this was much better. “I know that addiction is a nasty thing, especially if it was you who has worked so very hard to earn the money he is throwing away at Muggle casinos. Las Vegas it was that you had to drag him back from recently, correct?”

 

He knew that this was the ultimate in cruelty; that using a man’s addictions against his wife was one of the lowest things he could do. However, what choice did he have? He wasn’t threatening to release the information he had, he was just letting her know that he knew. If she was desperate enough to offer to keep a secret for him in exchange for the same, then he would take full advantage of it. If not... well, that was when he would begin to get really nasty. He watched as she weighed her response, obviously going over her options in her mind. He knew she only had one option left to her and waited, a small smile playing at the edges of his lips, until her shoulders slumped slightly.

 

“What do you want? I can’t give you information on Gringotts or anything like that and you probably know more about the inner workings of the Ministry than I do.”

 

“In the coming days or weeks, there will be a major story that everyone will know of, but no one will write about. I want you to muzzle every single one of your reporters, _especially_ dear Rita.”

 

She frowned, obviously fighting her journalistic instincts. “I’m going to need a little more information than that if I’m to stop everyone from writing about it.”

 

“Well, this is where your power as Chief of the _Prophet_ comes into it. You’ll most likely hear it from your star Quidditch reporter.” He paused when she sighed and sat back in her chair.

 

“I’m not going to purposefully damage Ginny Potter’s career so you can have some petty revenge on her husband, Malfoy, no matter how much you threaten me.”

 

Draco was unable to prevent the smirk that crossed his face at the idea. “Please. If I wanted revenge on Potter do you really think I would stoop so low as to damage his wife’s career? No, nothing so gauche. I have a personal interest in the story she will have on offer and I would rather the _entire_ story come to light at the same time, rather than just what she will tell you. What I want is for you to prevent that one story from going out until I can offer you the story in its entirety.”

 

An interested glint came into her eye at that last and Draco knew he had her. _Always play to people’s greed_ , was what Father had told him and Draco had lived by those words. The reason no one ever took him to court for blackmail was because, unlike his father, he had offered each of them something they wanted more than the original idea they had had. Lucius had relied too heavily on blackmail and the threat of revenge by an angry Death Eater to scare people into doing his bidding; Draco knew he didn’t have that kind of fear to rely on, so he had developed his own methods.

 

“You’re making me a counteroffer on a story that I haven’t yet been offered?”

 

“Yes. I can guarantee that you’ll get the full story, not just one side. Hell, you can even include Weasley’s version of the facts when you get the real version; compare them against each other if you really wish. As long as you promise me that you’ll not publish any version of the story she offers you before you have the full thing, we’ll be just fine.”

 

Blowing a huge breath out as she sank back into her chair again, Yasmine ran her hands through her hair. “This must be one hell of a story you’re asking me to pull, Malfoy.”

 

He smiled, knowing that there was no way she would turn him down. “This will be the biggest story since Voldemort’s defeat, I can almost guarantee it. And you will get the full, unadulterated version of the facts. All you have to do is promise me to not publish anything on it before I can get you the full story.”

 

“And in return, you will keep your mouth shut about my husband.” It was a statement, not a question. Draco inclined his head and watched Yasmine relax. “Alright, Malfoy, you’ve got yourself a deal. God help me, but I’ll keep this juicy story from going out if you’ll keep your gob shut.”

 

“Much appreciated.”

 

Draco stood and stalked out of the room, finally allowing himself to feel the nerves that he had repressed before entering the room. He leant back against the wall the second he had rounded the corner out of sight of the offices and took a steadying breath. His insides felt as though they were preparing to liquefy from the stress running through him; he had never once had a personal stake in any of the dealings he had had with any of the papers. Reminding himself that he had decided that Harry was worth all this trouble, he fought down the urge to just end it with him right then. Pushing off the wall once he had everything locked down again, he made his way back to the Apparition point so he could continue preparing for the inevitable backlash.

 

*~*

 

Taking a deep breath just before he crossed the protective wards on the Burrow, Harry attempted to calm his thoughts. He knew that by now Ron and the rest of the family would know who it was that he was sleeping with; there was no way Ginny would let him get away with keeping that quiet. The panic that he expected to be feeling wasn’t there, however. Yes, his mind was racing, but it was not through any kind of panic. A sense of doomed finality had settled over him the second Draco had left that afternoon, leaving him alone with his thoughts for the first time since he had woken. He fully expected to lose the custody battle that he knew was coming, be absolutely humiliated in the press and have to resort to hiding away at Grimmauld, because it was still hidden with the Fidelius.

 

A sudden shock of realisation hit him the second he thought of the charm hiding Grimmauld: they had to remove Ginny as a Secret Keeper for the house or else he would never have any peace. Turning away from the house, he almost conjured his Patronus before remembering that Hermione was actually in the house ahead of him. As were Ron, Ginny, Molly, Arthur and any number of other Weasleys.

 

_This was a huge mistake._

 

Harry flexed his fingers as he prepared himself to make his way up the walk to the house. Having called at Ron and Hermione’s a few minutes before, he knew that they had come here with Ginny. It had seemed like the perfect opportunity to get everyone over with at once; this way he wouldn’t have to go through the same questions – the same accusations – over and over again. He knew that doing that would just fray his temper and put him at risk of hexing whichever Weasley was in front of him when he finally lost it; which, of course, would probably end up as front page news as well, if Ginny had anything to do with it. Shaking his head to clear the bitterness from his thoughts, he stepped determinedly through the wards and made his way slowly towards the house.

 

A quick shot of nerves nearly overwhelmed him as he walked up the path leading to the house. He knew he had to look at this logically: none of the Weasleys were likely to want anything to do with him after this. It was a simple fact that he had to accept. At the end of the day the only family he would have left would be his kids and he would be damned if Ginny was going to take them away from him as well. Taking another breath – this one slightly shaky – Harry tried to push the thoughts aside.

 

“You fucking bastard.”

 

_Well, that doesn’t help._ Harry held back a grim smile as Ron appeared in the doorway of the Burrow almost the second he had turned the corner. He subtly moved his hand to the hilt of his wand, just in case. If he had to defend himself, then he didn’t want to be caught short. He had been prepared for this; had known that Ron was not happy with him and probably never would be again. That had not stopped the words from hurting, however. Stopping halfway down the path, he met his friend’s angry eyes and braced himself for the explosion.

 

“Ron–”

 

“No, don’t. Why would I want to listen to a single thing you have to say? I knew – I _knew_ – when we were sixteen years old that letting this continue was a bad idea! I tried to talk Ginny out of it, but no! _She was in love._ ”

 

The scorn in Ron’s voice was no surprise to Harry, but it hurt anyway. They had been best friends for most of their lives – as well as Auror partners for the five years Ron had been with the Department – and the fact that Ron wasn’t even willing to listen to an explanation felt like a blow directly to Harry’s stomach. Of course, that pain was followed swiftly by a shot of guilt because he knew that Ron was only siding with his family; he would have expected no less from his friend.

 

“And to make it worse, you decided to cheat on her with _Malfoy_.”

 

Harry’s insides froze for a few seconds. He had to tell himself very firmly that he had expected this part as well before he could begin to breathe properly again. Ginny knew that her family had never gotten along with the Malfoys, so of course she would play off that aspect as much as possible; it was only natural. However, despite his determination to look at things clearly and logically, he could feel his own frustration rising at Ron’s refusal to even listen to him.

 

“So you’re not even going to respond? Typical.”

 

That last jab, combined with the disgust he heard in his friend’s voice, appeared to be the last straw for Harry’s straining control. Taking a deep breath, he met Ron’s anger with his own, despite knowing that it was a bad idea.

 

“Is that all she’s told you? That I cheated on her? Did she fail to mention Rhys? How about the others she’s apparently slept with over the years? How about you ask her who _Ernie_ is?” He had tried to keep the bitterness out of his voice, he really had, but it seemed that it wouldn’t be suppressed. “Ask her how she loved him, how she thinks she should have gone back to him rather than trying to convince Rhys to have another go.”

 

“Bullshit! Don’t you dare talk about my sister like that–”

 

“Like what?” Harry countered, on a roll now that he had let his own anger loose. “Don’t tell the truth about her?”

 

“The truth! How am I supposed to believe any of that? You come here the night after telling my sister that you’re sleeping with _Malfoy_ –” Harry’s insides clenched with something that felt very much like a protective anger over the way Ron said Draco’s name, but he ignored it, shoving the feeling down to be examined later. “–and expect me to believe you when you say she cheated on you first? How?”

 

Harry closed his eyes, trying to get hold of his anger. He had known that Ron would side with Ginny; hell, Hermione had told him as much that morning. However, that had not stopped the hope that Ron would be willing to at least hear him out from growing in his chest. He pressed his lips together in a tight line, chewing on the inside of them in an attempt to regain control of his temper. When he spoke again, his voice was even.

 

“I don’t expect you to believe anything I say. I knew you would side with Ginny and I don’t blame you; I really don’t. She’s your sister and I wouldn’t expect anything less from you. But you need to know that you don’t know the full story. Hermione knows if you won’t listen to me. I came here with no real expectations other than telling you that Ginny hasn’t told you everything. And I know that you probably don’t even believe that, but...” He paused, running a hand through his hair as a hopelessness washed over him; he was losing his best friend – his family – and there was nothing he could do about it. “Please just give it some thought. You know from your time with the Department that there’s always two sides to a story and that one hurt party won’t tell you everything–”

 

“Is that Harry?”

 

Harry automatically took a step backwards at the sound of Molly’s voice from inside the house. While he had been prepared to defend himself against Ron, he knew there was no way he could bring himself to raise his wand to Molly, even if it was to cast a shield. He had viewed her as his mother for so long now, it was almost impossible for him to even contemplate living life without her in that role.

 

“Go back inside, Ron dear; I need to speak to Harry alone.”

 

The hopelessness that had settled over him a minute before increased as Molly appeared in the doorway and pushed Ron back inside. She closed the door to the house and turned to face him, a grim determination on her face. Harry let both his hands drop to his sides and he bowed his head, preparing to be cut down even worse than what Ron had just done.

 

“My daughter.”

 

He closed his eyes. “Yes.”

 

“You cheated on my daughter.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“With Draco Malfoy.”

 

The calmness in her voice was putting Harry on edge more than a screaming match would have and he got the feeling that she was doing it on purpose. “Yes.” When silence stretched between them for longer than Harry could stand, he risked a glance up and immediately regretted it. She was crying. “Molly?”

 

She held up a hand to silence him. “I never expected to be this disappointed by a son of mine.”

 

It was such a simple sentence, but the effect it had on him was immediate. Heat rushed through the top half of his body and his knees felt as though they had turned to jelly. Blinking as his eyes blurred, he opened his mouth several times, but nothing came out. _Disappointed_ ; he had disappointed the only person he had known as a true mother. Dragging in a rough breath, he tried again.

 

“I’m sorry.” It wasn’t enough and he knew it, but it was the only response he could give. “I am truly sorry, but there is so much more to the story than you know right now. It isn’t as simple as me being a bastard and losing interest in Ginny, I swear.”

 

Molly turned red rimmed eyes to him and took a shaky breath. “I think you should leave now. Lily is perfectly safe here, as you well know, but it would be best if you weren’t here right now.”

 

With that, she turned and re-entered the house, closing and locking the door behind her. Harry stood and stared at the closed door for a long time, simply trying to get control over his breathing and racing heart. This was it: the beginning of the end of the safe little family he had developed around himself all those years ago and it was more devastating than he could have ever imagined.


	13. Chapter 13

“So what are you trying to tell me, Harry?”

 

“Maybe... I don’t know, Kingsley. Maybe it’s time to think about retirement. I can’t be an Auror forever and with everything that’s coming, it’s probably for the best.”

 

Harry ran a hand through his hair as he leant back in the chair opposite the Minister. He had come to Kingsley’s house straight from the Burrow the second he had regained his senses. He knew he would have to have it out with Molly eventually, but today was not that day. He figured he would give her some time to cool down before going back. Needing to get all of this over and done with at once, he had decided to just come right out and tell Kingsley. He wasn’t sure he could go through everything over and over again over the course of a few days; he much preferred the idea of doing it all at once. The fact that Kingsley hadn’t caused some kind of scene when Harry had told him what was going on only reinforced his conviction that doing it this way was the best and easiest.

 

“Why would you think that?”

 

Shooting Kingsley an ‘I know you know what I’m talking about’ look, Harry sighed. “I’ve known you for over twenty years now, Kingsley: I know you aren’t stupid. The shitstorm this is going to bring down on me is going to be reflected back onto everything I do, my work included. You don’t want that kind of publicity centred on your Head Auror; it’ll call everything I’ve ever done into question.”

 

Kingsley merely stared at him for a while, a small smile playing at the edges of his mouth. He had aged well, considering what he had gone through with the War and the trials that followed: light grey streaks ran along the sides of his head and smile lines marked his face, but beyond that, he still looked much the same as when Harry had first met him. Of course, having no threat of another War hanging over them had helped with the health of everyone involved, Kingsley and Harry included. Not that Harry felt very healthy or mentally stable at that moment, but he figured he could be forgiven a little instability considering what was about to happen.

 

“You know,” Kingsley began, his deep voice ponderous. “No one cared about Dumbledore being gay.”

 

Harry huffed out a tired laugh. He knew he should have known that mentioning what had been running through his mind would be met with resistance. He had been Kingsley’s Head Auror for ten years so far and he had been told that this was the smoothest the Department had been run for many years, so of course Kingsley would object to the suggestion that Harry might want to move on.

 

“I really don’t think this is an issue of sexuality, Kingsley. Once Ginny gets hold of someone from the papers who is willing to listen to her and print whatever bullshit she peddles them, every single thing from my past is going to be called into question. I can just see the headlines now: ‘The Boy Who Cheats: An Expose’, ‘What Else Has The Saviour Cheated On?’ They’re going to question every arrest, every hearing in front of the Wizengamot, every new law passed... Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if Skeeter tried to convince people that I conned everyone into thinking I killed Voldemort and that we’re at threat of him coming back.”

 

He allowed his head to fall forward into his hands, scrubbing the heels of his palms across his eyes. This was going to prove to be the real test: whether he could outlast the amazing amount of pressure the _Daily Prophet_ and its ilk were going to place on his head. The idea of retiring had come to him the other night once he had realised that a very public divorce was inevitable and it seemed like a more viable option to help keep him and his kids at least a little sheltered from the reporters. If he was able to find a less public occupation, he just might be able to survive what was coming over the next few months with his sanity intact.

 

“So you believe that what this really comes down to is a question of integrity? That Ginny will aim to have you discredited?”

 

“Did _you_ believe me when I first told you? When I came in here telling you that my wife had been cheating on me our entire marriage, there wasn’t even the slightest doubt in your mind that I was telling you the truth? Or that I have suddenly realised – at the age of 37 no less – that I am, in fact, gay enough to not want anything else to do with another female as long as I live? Because it all still sounds pretty fucking unbelievable to me.”

 

Sitting back in the chair again, Harry blinked the spots from his eyes where he had crammed his fists into them. From what he could tell without his glasses, Kingsley was watching him with an intense expression, a small crease forming in between his eyebrows. It was almost like being a bug being watched through a microscope and it made Harry squirm. Glancing down, he rubbed his glasses against his shirt before shoving them back on his nose.

 

“Draco Malfoy.” Harry’s head snapped up, but he saw a humour in Kingsley’s eyes that he had not expected. “ _You_ are sleeping with Draco Malfoy. _That_ is the part my mind rebelled at, Harry. Not that Ginny cheating on you is believable in any way at first glance, but everyone knows of the rivalry you and Malfoy have had since your schooldays. What has changed so very much that you’re able to get along well enough that you can stand each other?”

 

A small responding smile crossed Harry’s face as he thought back over the past three weeks. “We don’t get along; not really. I think... Look, at first, I honestly think this was about revenge for him. He wanted to get one up on me and jumping me in the toilets at the train station was one of the only ways he could accomplish it. I don’t think either of us expected that we would want to continue this, especially considering the way it started, but it was like a wakening, for me at least. I can’t speak for Draco, but when I’m with him it’s unlike anything I ever imagined I could have with anyone else.

 

“I love – _loved_ – Ginny to the best of my ability. Unfortunately for her, that ability stopped with friendship. I thought that what I felt for her was what everyone felt for their spouses: I truly didn’t know any better. It’s not like I had any proper role models for things like this growing up, so I winged it. Before Draco, there was only one other man I had ever been with and that was during the drunken celebrations following the War. I put it down to a youthful mistake and went on to create the family the entire world seemed to expect me to have. Everyone seemed to be under the impression that Ginny and I were the world’s greatest love story. She got the man she had been waiting for since she was a child and I got... Well, I don’t really know what I thought I was getting out of our relationship other than the kids. I didn’t stop to think about the fact that I wasn’t really sexually attracted to her at all, or about the fact that she seemed to be ok with that. But with Draco...” He trailed off, shaking his head in disbelief. “I now finally know what I was supposed to be feeling with Ginny and it’s almost overwhelming at times.”

 

Trailing off again, Harry realised what he must sound like, talking like this about a man who, a few weeks ago, he would have gladly hexed senseless. _Hell, I probably still will sometime in the near future._ Glancing up at Kingsley, Harry saw a thoughtful expression cross his face before he nodded and spoke again.

 

“At least spend a little more time thinking about this before coming to an official decision, please. Many people have made decisions they came to regret in the heat of the moment and I don’t want you to regret this just because you made the decision at the height of your stress over the situation.” Leaning back in his chair, Kingsley smiled. “If Malfoy’s word is good, then he should be able to stop the papers from printing the story for a little while at least. Take that extra time to really consider whether retirement is what you actually want. If it is, then we’ll go from there. If not, then you’ll thank me later.”

 

Harry had to resist sighing in resignation. He knew Kingsley was right and he should think about this decision properly, but he also knew that it didn’t really matter what he wanted. If the people didn’t feel like they could trust their Head Auror, then that was incredibly bad for business. The community needed to know that the people charged with protecting them were trustworthy and if that trust faltered for even a little while, it could destroy everything. Forcing himself to return Kingsley’s smile, Harry knew what his decision would most likely be already.

 

“Alright, I’ll think about it, but you know I’m right about this one. If they can’t trust me then I’m pretty much useless to you.”

 

“Speaks the man who defeated Voldemort.”

 

“And even back then people were unsure whether I was going to turn out to be even worse than him,” Harry retorted, earning himself a roll of Kingsley’s eyes.

 

*~*

 

_We need to talk. Come to the Manor; the floo’s open._

_– DM_

 

Draco fastened the note to his owl’s leg and watched her take off into the dusk before he could change his mind. Yesterday had been so full of intense emotions that he had not bothered to contact Harry that night, needing time to himself to sort out exactly what it was he was going to do from here on out. Unfortunately, he had not been able to come to any solid decisions about either him and Harry or him and Astoria. He knew that if he wanted to continue with Harry – which he knew he definitely did – that he would have to start divorce proceedings with Astoria. What he did not know was how Harry was going to take him telling him that he wasn’t going to kick Astoria out of the Manor. Astoria, of course, had been completely unhelpful: the only reason he had the Manor to himself that night was so he could ‘get laid in privacy _and_ comfort’ in his darling wife’s words. He turned and wandered over to the sideboard to pour himself a snifter of brandy just as the floo flared.

 

Turning so he could meet Harry’s eyes, Draco found himself completely unprepared for the sight before him. Harry wore paint splattered jeans that fit him to perfection and a white button-up that was unbuttoned to his sternum, also splattered in paint. He looked positively _edible_ with his hair mussed and a slight flush to his cheeks. He had developed the slight muscle structure of a Seeker during their school days, but this had matured as he had. The years spent as an Auror had treated him very well, leaving him with a solid build that – thankfully – wasn’t too bulky. It helped him to fill out the Muggle clothing well enough to send Draco’s mouth dry. He turned back quickly, clearing his throat before speaking.

 

“Brandy?”

 

“Er, I don’t suppose you have anything non-alcoholic? I’m not sure I can stomach anything much stronger after Friday night.”

 

Smirking as he turned back – now back under control after that slight lapse – Draco made sure not to make the mistake of meeting Harry’s eyes again. “I may have a few bottles of Scorpius’ Butterbeer left, unless you’d prefer water.”

 

“Butterbeer’s fine, thanks.”

 

Draco used calling for an elf and asking for the drink as a way of subtly studying Harry from the corner of his eye. He was obviously uncomfortable or nervous, although Draco couldn’t tell which or why. Surely Harry didn’t still doubt that Draco wanted this? He had thought that he had made his position and wants clear the day before...

 

“Draco?”

 

He nearly jumped at the sound of Harry’s voice, soft though it was. “Yes?”

 

“Is, er, is something wrong?”

 

“Wrong? Why would something be wrong?” Draco had to resist the urge to frown in confusion as Harry fidgeted. Sweeping his hand towards the lounge as he folded himself down onto one end, he eyed Harry cautiously. “Won’t you sit?”

 

“I, er, I’m a bit grubby...” Harry ran a hand through his hair, dislodging a few flakes of dry paint just before the elf reappeared to give him a disapproving look. He grasped the bottle of Butterbeer as if it were a lifeboat before meeting Draco’s eyes with determination. “Look, the only other person to ever tell me that we ‘had to talk’ was Ginny and it was after I had fucked up severely. I really don’t think I’ve done anything to warrant being called a fuckup with you yet, so the only conclusion I can come to is that you’ve changed your mind. Two days after I told my wife I was gay and started the process of being cut off by my entire family and it looks like you’re giving up on me already. So you’ll have to excuse me if I don’t want to get comfortable just so I can be dumped for the second time in as many days.”

 

Draco sat and stared at him for a few seconds, trying to decide if he was being serious. It had not occurred to him that the note he had sent could be taken in any way other than the way he had intended, but it certainly seemed as though Harry had managed it. Swirling the brandy in the glass, he took a small sip before setting it aside. If Harry wanted some kind of confirmation of what he had said the previous day, then Draco was certainly not going to object.

 

Standing and moving so that he stood directly in front of Harry, Draco couldn’t help the little smile that tilted his lips upwards. Harry’s eyes were wide – magnified by his glasses – and locked firmly on Draco’s as he raised a hand to brush his fingers against Harry’s lips. The kiss that followed was intended to be soft and slow; more of a confirmation that everything was fine than anything else. However, Draco found that he could not resist dipping his tongue into the welcoming heat of Harry’s mouth. He slid his hand up from Harry’s jaw to grab a handful of hair, tugging gently on it so he could position Harry’s head so the kiss was more comfortable. Harry responded beautifully to him: stepping closer and running his hands up Draco’s chest to rest on his shoulders with a small almost-sigh in the back of his throat that sent Draco’s insides quivering. Draco’s free hand stole around Harry’s waist and before he could think about what he was doing, he had pulled him flush against his chest, revelling in the feeling of the warm body pressed against his. He was unsure if he should have been grateful that the sensible part of his mind seemed to kick in at that moment, reminding him that there was an actual reason for him to have called Harry there and this certainly wasn’t it. Pulling back from the kiss, he took a deep breath before speaking.

 

“Does that put your doubts to rest?” His voice was slightly too breathy for his liking, but there was nothing he could do about it.

 

“Hmm...”

 

Harry’s eyes were still closed, his tongue flicking out almost as though he was tasting Draco on his lips still. Draco’s mind raced as he was almost overwhelmed by the desire to flick his own tongue out and across Harry’s lips in response. Technically there was nothing wrong with wanting sex before they talked, but it would involve having to stay awake afterwards and Draco was not fond of not being able to relax completely after orgasm. Harry’s eyes flittered open, causing Draco’s stomach to flip and he knew he had to put some space between them or else they would get nothing done tonight other than each other. Summoning a smirk, he released Harry’s hair and waist before stepping backwards and moving back onto the lounge. He watched as Harry bent to scoop up the – thankfully unopened – bottle of Butterbeer and followed him to the lounge.

 

“I, er...”

 

Draco smiled, the knowledge that he could have this kind of effect on Harry sending warmth through his chest. “I haven’t heard you ‘er’ this much since school.”

 

“You make me a little nervous these days.”

 

Draco blinked at the stark honesty in the words. _Why_ did the blasted man have to be so willing to be so open with him like that? He knew that Harry had always spoken his mind – he had, in fact, been a victim of that honesty more often than he cared to remember – but when it was directed at him like this, it left him with very little options to respond with. Determinedly pushing aside the knowledge that it also gave him the worst case of butterflies he had had in years, Draco eyed his brandy as he responded.

 

“That is not my intention.”

 

“No, but it’s not a bad thing.” _Damn you Potter, stop that!_ “What was it you wanted to talk about?”

 

Thankful for the small reprieve, Draco raised his eyes from the glass and shifted so he was sitting with his legs stretched out in front of him. The fact that he noticed Harry’s eyes run the length of his legs as he moved had Draco trying not to smile. Yes, he definitely liked knowing he could have this effect on him.

 

“Astoria.”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“When Astoria and I got married, it was with the knowledge that we would divorce amicably if either one of us found someone worth the trouble involved. Now, as she is the mother of my child and heir, I don’t believe I would feel comfortable demanding that she leave the Manor after the divorce is finalised. We would, in fact, probably continue in the exact way we have been since we married, due to the fact that we live in separate wings of the house at the moment anyway. Scorpius, of course, has his own suite of rooms in either wing, so that will be no problem. I would assume you will be taking up residence in Grimmauld Place, but she has never before had a problem with my bringing someone home with me; not that I have taken advantage of that generosity. It always seemed a little too vulgar to have a partner in the same house as my wife...” He trailed off when he caught a glimpse of heat in Harry’s eyes. “Will you please drag your mind out of the gutter? I am actually trying to tell you something here.”

 

“Yeah: you’re trying to tell me that _I’m_ worth the trouble involved with divorcing your wife.”

 

Draco blinked in surprise. There was absolutely no point in trying to deny the statement, considering that that was exactly what he had been building up to say, just not in those exact words.

 

“You know, there’s really no point in beating around the bush with me: I won’t get jealous of your wife because I’ve seen the way the two of you interact. And, while I’m not happy with the idea of being the mistress – so to speak – I know how difficult these next few months are going to be. If you want to wait to go through with the divorce from Astoria, I’ll understand. You already know that I’m heading for divorce as soon as we can get everything sorted enough to be able to be in the same room together without wanting to murder each other.”

 

Draco nodded silently, feeling as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. This was a huge step to be taking for someone who he had basically considered an enemy a mere month ago and he was incredibly grateful that Harry seemed to realise this.

 

“How did everything go with the Weasleys?”

 

Harry grunted, his lip curling in what appeared to be disgust as he popped the top off the bottle in his hand. “It didn’t. Ron met me at the door and stopped me from going in. It’s looking highly unlikely that that relationship will ever be the same again, but I didn’t really expect him to side with me. It was Molly who really hit hard. I’d been holding onto a ridiculous hope that she’d be willing to at least listen to me, but...” He trailed off, shaking his head before swallowing down half the bottle of Butterbeer as though it had been real alcohol. “Apparently I’m a disappointment to the only woman I have ever known as a mother.”

 

Draco closed his eyes, knowing how much that must have hurt. He knew he was unbelievably lucky that his parents were accepting of his own sexuality, despite the fact that they had pushed him to get married and beget an heir. Of course, he hadn’t informed them of his and Astoria’s agreement and they had not seen fit to ask. Sometimes, having parents who were raised to not stick their noses too far into their children’s love lives was a very good thing. This knowledge also explained Harry’s current state of dress.

 

“So you’ve spent the past day taking out your frustration and anger on Grimmauld?”

 

Harry shrugged; a gesture that dislodged a few more flakes of paint onto the back of the lounge. “It’s in desperate need of both cleaning and fixing. I figured if I could get some of it done myself, it would save me from having to hire someone who would have to be screened to make sure they weren’t a spy for Rita Skeeter.”

 

The words reminded Draco that he also had actual news for Harry regarding Rita. “I spoke to the Chiefs of the newspapers.”

 

This seemed to grab Harry’s attention more than nearly anything else Draco had said that night. “And?”

 

“I had to promise the _Prophet_ the full story, but none of them will be printing anything Ginevra tells them. Not for quite a while, at least.”

 

He had not realised just how tense Harry had looked before he began to relax at those words. His head fell back against the lounge, his eyes sliding closed and a smile spreading across his face. Draco drank it all in hungrily, wondering if it would be bad form to jump him right then. The sight of Harry stretching like a cat, his shirt riding up his stomach a little way, didn’t help Draco’s state of mind any and he held the brandy to his lips in an attempt to calm his raging hormones a bit. Harry rendered his efforts mute a few seconds later by turning to grin at him.

 

“Have I ever mentioned that you are the sexiest man I have ever met?” Before Draco’s mind could catch up with what Harry had said, he found himself with an extremely welcome lapful of warm, heavy body. Harry straddled him, wriggling for a few seconds before he apparently got comfortable. “And I would very much like to show you how much I appreciate what you’ve done.”

 

Staring up into the seemingly never-ending green of Harry’s eyes, Draco could not bring himself to do anything other than pull him in for another kiss. Not holding anything back this time, he forced Harry’s lips open with his tongue, exploring all around his mouth as his hands roamed over as much of him as he could reach. Harry, for his part, seemed just as eager, his fingers working their way in between the buttons of Draco’s black shirt to rub against his heating skin. They continued like this for a while before Draco could resist no more and used both hands to squeeze Harry’s firm arse, pressing him forward into his own throbbing cock. Harry moaned in agreement as he rocked his hips again, giving Draco the friction he had been craving.

 

“Here?”

 

Draco shook his head, panting heavily. “Bedroom.”

 

He almost groaned in disappointment when Harry slid off his lap, but he stood quickly, grasping Harry’s hand so he could Apparate them into his suite of rooms upstairs. He had no idea how they managed it so quickly, but they were both nearly completely naked by the time they reached his bed from the door of the bedroom, their clothing lying scattered on the floor behind them. Draco pushed Harry down onto the bed, crawling after him as he scooted up to the top of the bed. The sight of having Harry Potter lying against his pillows, panting with desire for him was one of the most beautiful things Draco had ever seen. He didn’t get to enjoy it for long, though, as Harry dragged him down on top of him the second he got close enough.

 

“Draco,” Harry whispered against his throat, his hot breath sending shivers down Draco’s spine.

 

It seemed to be the only thing he was either capable or willing to say as Draco settled himself down on top of him. Draco ran his teeth lightly along the shell of Harry’s ear, enjoying the shivers and gasps of breath as he nipped lightly at the thin skin. It had been a long time since he had bothered to take his time with a partner, but he was determined to explore this time. He ran the fingers of one hand lightly over the hard muscles of Harry’s shoulder as he continued his attentions to the earlobe before him. It turned out that there was a light scar on the shoulder he was kneading his fingers into and he paused to trace it, working out that it had not come from a spell from the ridges.

 

“Knife wound,” Harry murmured. “Taught me to be more prepared for physical attacks.”

 

Draco grinned as he moved both his fingers and lips downwards. The next scar he found was definitely from a Dark hex of some sort; one that he instinctively knew would have been damn near impossible to have Healed completely, hence the scar. It ran across Harry’s right-hand side, following the ridges of his ribcage. Draco leant in to brush his lips along the bumps, drawing small gasps from Harry as he did. He glanced up for an explanation to see Harry biting down on his bottom lip as he stared down at him.

 

“No one’s ever been this interested in my scars before.”

 

Draco shrugged. “More fool them. What happened here?”

 

“Death Eaters back when I was just starting out. They apparently thought they could finish me off and bring him back again.” Harry paused to squirm as Draco moved his hand so he could tweak one of his nipples. “I actually knew what I was doing by then, though.”

 

“Good.”

 

A possessive anger had begun to spread through Draco’s chest as Harry had explained; one that he had no idea how to control. He had never been close enough to any of his partners before to have developed any kind of proprietary feelings, but he had suspected that Harry would be different. This was a man he had truly _wanted_ for many years and now that he had him he was fully expecting to have to fight back reactions and emotions he had not felt for a long time. He obeyed the gentle tug on his hair and found himself drawn into a deep kiss.

 

“Now.”

 

Rocking his hips in response, Draco had to agree. “Roll over.”

 

It was almost a shame that Harry obeyed the demand, but Draco found the view from this angle just as enticing as from the front. Harry’s tight arse was displayed for his pleasure and it had him twitching in anticipation. Running his hands down Harry’s thighs, he coaxed him so his knees bent beneath him, curled against his chest. He murmured the charms as he bent over Harry, nibbling at the nape of his neck as he rubbed against his entrance.

 

“Stop teasing me,” Harry grunted as he rocked backwards against him.

 

Draco chuckled as he pushed forward, coming to a rest as he sheathed himself fully. He nipped at Harry’s neck and shoulders in an attempt to distract himself from the growing need to move. It wasn’t long before he felt Harry’s muscles squeezing around him and he had to bite back a pleased groan when he pulled out and snapped his hips back in. Harry, however, apparently saw no need to keep his voice down. The moans he let out with each thrust had Draco wondering if he was this loud when he was by himself. That, of course, gave him the image of Harry palming himself in that private bathroom at the Ministry and he thrust harder in response to the surge of lust that hit him. Changing angles with each thrust meant that he eventually hit Harry’s prostate, earning himself a string of foul language that had him huffing out a breathless laugh.

 

“So greedy for me tonight, Harry.”

 

“Unnh...”

 

Draco realised that Harry had worked a hand in between his clenching thighs and was frantically working at bringing himself to orgasm, arching his back and whimpering as his hand moved. The sight motivated him and he aimed for Harry’s prostate again, managing to hit it more often than not.

 

“Ohh... Oh fuck, Draco, I...”

 

This was all the warning he had before Harry’s muscles contracted around him, spasming as he began to come. Draco rubbed his cock along Harry’s prostate, thrusting in small jerks, knowing it would prolong the pleasure of Harry’s orgasm for a few seconds at least. It never occurred to him that the move was something that only a lover would do; someone who cared more for his partner’s pleasure than his own. Waiting until he felt Harry begin to relax before he quickened his pace, it only took another three thrusts before Draco was taking his own pleasure. He buried himself deep inside Harry as he came, filling him with jet after jet of hot cum.

 

Rolling off to the side when he was able to move again, he cast cleaning charms over the two of them. Harry surprised him by leaning back against his chest and Draco had to think that he owed Astoria for giving them this time alone together tonight. It was the last coherent thought he had until the morning.


	14. Chapter 14

Harry glared down at the parchment in front of him. He had been trying to focus on the paperwork he had to get done, but it was being made difficult by all the other problems running through his mind. He had woken that morning in Draco’s enormous bed at Malfoy Manor having had the best night of sleep he had had in months. It was soft and warm and the fact that the body next to him was actually welcoming rather than seeming to want nothing to do with him was so surprising Harry had hardly believed it. That morning had been his first ever round of morning sex and he had been shocked to realise that it had left him feeling invigorated rather than sleepy. Draco seemed quite skilled at finding Harry’s prostate and bringing him to a shattering orgasm in a surprisingly short amount of time and Harry had found that it was better than any number of morning cups of tea at keeping him awake and aware. Giving up on finishing this particular piece of paperwork, he leant back in his chair, stretching muscles that had been held in the same hunched position for too long. He jumped when a tentative knock sounded on his door.

 

“It’s open,” he called, expecting his receptionist to walk in and dump more work on his desk. Lifting his glasses so he could rub at his tired eyes, the voice that greeted him was a complete shock.

 

“Harry?”

 

His glasses fell back down on his nose at the hesitant sound of Percy Weasley’s voice. He was standing just inside the door of Harry’s office, an armload of files nearly overbalancing as he eyed Harry cautiously. Percy had lost a lot of the pomposity that had been his defining characteristic during school and Harry attributed most of it to his finding and marrying Audrey, a Muggle-born who had attended Beauxbatons two years below Fleur. Harry smiled cautiously at him.

 

“Percy, how are you?”

 

“Ah – good! Yeah, I’m good, considering... ah... things.”

 

Harry waved his wand to clear the papers up from his desk, coming to a snap decision. If Percy was willing to talk to him like he was a human being, then he would take full advantage of it.

 

“Sit, please. Would you like something to drink? The, er, the coffee sucks, but it’s there if you’d like to brave it. I also have some chamomile tea here somewhere.” He pushed back from his desk, hoping desperately that his casual approach wouldn’t scare Percy away. “I’d offer you something a little stronger, but, besides it being immoral for me to drink on the job, I’ve also sworn off it for a little while.” He relaxed a little when he heard a soft puff of almost-laughter.

 

“If the coffee here is as bad as in my Department, then I believe I may stick with tea, if that’s alright with you.”

 

Harry grinned as he stood to make the drinks, relief rushing through him fast enough that he felt slightly light-headed. He had been wondering just which one of the Weasleys would be the easiest for him to approach so he could start trying to explain and it had never occurred to him to speak to Percy. Of course, Percy did tend to be the one Weasley everyone forgot existed. Between Bill’s Curse Breaking, Charlie’s work with dragons, George’s successful business, Ron’s Auror career and Ginny’s Quidditch career, Percy quietly making his way through the ranks of the Ministry got overlooked more often than not. The fact that he was now the Head of the Department of Magical Transportation was apparently not very well-known, as it was nowhere near as glamorous as his sibling’s careers. Harry turned back to find Percy perched on the edge of the chair in front of Harry’s desk, the files he had been carrying sitting in a neat pile on the floor.

 

“So...” Harry handed Percy his tea before sitting back down on his own chair.

 

“So,” Percy replied, his fingers flexing around the mug in a way that told Harry that he was just as nervous as Harry was. “My family don’t know I’m here. However, I figured you deserved a chance to speak, as I know personally just how determined they can be when they decide that one of them has been wronged.”

 

Harry merely sat staring into his own mug for a few seconds, guilt shooting through him. He knew that Percy had been treated quite badly by all of the Weasleys at one time or another, but he also knew that most of it had been Percy’s own fault. Shaking his head, he cleared those thoughts from his mind: this was about him and his behaviour, not Percy’s.

 

“Right... Can I ask what Ginny’s told you all?” This would probably go a lot smoother if he knew exactly what he was up against. “I mean, I know she told you that I’ve cheated on her with Draco, but is that it? She didn’t give you details, or say anything else?”

 

“No offence, Harry, but I believe that this may be one thing I do not require to know in detail.”

 

Harry nearly snorted his tea in an attempt to not burst out laughing. It was rare that Percy showed any kind of sense of humour, but when he did, it generally tended to be spot-on. Glancing up to meet Percy’s eyes, he saw them sparkling with amusement behind his glasses before he turned serious once again.

 

“Yes, Ginny mentioned Draco Malfoy. She seems to be under the impression that you have been with him for a few years now, or that is what she wanted us to believe. It was quite an opportune time for her to turn up at the Burrow when she did, as she caught both George and I there with our kids as well as Mother and Father. I’m unsure how much of what she said George believed, but there was something about it that sounded a little off to me. Hermione seemed to agree with me at least a little as well, but I couldn’t just come out and say I thought Ginny was lying. I know you’re not the type of person she was trying to make you out as, so I figured I’d give you a chance to have your say.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Harry smiled as he set his tea down on the desk before him. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, he used those few seconds to take stock; to try to organise everything in his mind. Keeping everything in order helped him to keep as much of the emotion out of the tale as possible. It wouldn’t do to have Percy not believe him simply because he had not been able to control the anger in his voice when he recounted what Rhys had told him about Ginny’s extramarital activities. He knew a lot of what he was saying would be unbelievable to Percy, but he had to try. He watched Percy’s reactions carefully as he explained everything he knew, starting from the revelation he had had in that bathroom right up until the night he had confronted Ginny with what he had discovered. It was almost impossible for Harry to read what was going through Percy’s mind as he spoke, as he kept the same thoughtful expression on his face throughout the entire mini speech Harry gave. When he had finished, he sat back in his chair, his heart thumping in his ears as he waited for Percy’s reaction.

 

Percy sat staring into his tea for longer than Harry would have liked. He had no idea what he would do if Percy didn’t believe him; if he simply stood and accused him of telling outright lies about his sister. He had debated trying to speak to George or Bill when he had been in the process of cleaning Grimmauld the previous day, but what had stopped him had been the solid knowledge that both of them would most likely believe everything Ginny said. Percy was the one wild card in this whole situation and for him to have come to Harry rather than waiting for Harry to come to him was nothing short of a miracle to Harry. He was just starting to fidget uncomfortably in the silence when Percy spoke again.

 

“So what you’re telling me is that sixteen years ago, Ginny had an affair with the owner of the Harpies and that she’s gone on to have others since then?” His voice was low and obviously controlled, although Harry couldn’t tell if that was due to anger at Harry or anger in general. “Not only that, but you are gay and in a relationship with Draco Malfoy.”

 

Harry nodded. “Yes, that’s what I’m telling you.”

 

“I...” Percy raised his head, allowing Harry to see the disbelief in his eyes. “How did you not know you were gay?”

 

Scrubbing a hand through his hair, Harry shook his head. “I honestly don’t know. Before Draco there was only one man I had ever been with, but it was right after the end of the War and I was too drunk to remember most of it. He left before I woke up the next morning and I put it down to youthful stupidity.” He watched Percy for a few seconds before speaking again. “Is that the only question you have in all of this?”

 

“It’s all a bit much to take in all at once. My sister has been cheating nearly your entire marriage and you’re sleeping with a Malfoy. My mind is rebelling a little.”

 

“I know it’s an overwhelming amount of information; it took me three weeks to process it all properly,” Harry agreed. “Does, er, does that mean you believe me?”

 

“I... He’s a _Malfoy_ , Harry.” The words were tainted by an almost despairing tone as Percy met Harry’s eyes. “A Malfoy who spent all of your school years making your life miserable; who joined the Death Eaters; who nearly killed Ron with that wine. You see what I’m getting at here?”

 

Harry’s eyes closed of their own volition as guilt settled cold and hard in his stomach. He had, of course, been over and over this in his own mind, but he had been unable to reconcile what he currently felt for Draco with the boy he had been. People grew and changed as they matured, that was an inescapable fact. However, the question seemed to be had Draco really changed all that much? Was he still the same petty, cruel boy he had been deep down, or had he also matured? If only Arthur and Lucius had found a way to not allow their rivalry and dislike for each other to trickle down to their children...

 

“Believe me, Perce, I know. When this first started I was so _angry_ at him. Not only for jumping me in that toilet, but also for showing me that I had been so incredibly wrong about everything my entire life. Look, you’ve met the Dursleys so you know the kinds of role models I had for what was ‘normal’; for what I was supposed to feel. They weren’t homophobic or anything like that, but sexuality just wasn’t a thing in that house. I mean, they may have spoken to Dudley about stuff like that, but I was left to discover everything on my own. And you know what that meant? The first ‘lessons’ I got on sex were from your brothers.” Harry smiled when Percy flinched. “Yeah, I was told about condoms and how to kiss from the twins and Ron. As much as I love them all, it wasn’t the best way to discover such important things. And, of course, all three of them were straight, so everything was geared towards how to pull women and what to do when one of them shows interest in you. Not once was it mentioned that having feelings for men was alright. Not that I think they were trying to discriminate or anything, but teenage boys tend to follow along with the pack. This was what Ron and the twins found attractive, so that’s what I went with.”

 

“It never occurred to you to ask someone older than Fred and George?”

 

Harry shook his head slowly. “Would you have answered me properly if I came up to you during, say, the Triwizard and said that I thought more about Draco’s arse than any girl’s?”

 

“You were attracted to him even back then?” There was a thread of something in Percy’s voice that Harry couldn’t quite place.

 

“I was, yeah. I didn’t really think much about it, because I knew what I wanted: to marry the girl I loved and have a family.” The look on Percy’s face evolved into disbelief again, but Harry pushed on, knowing if he didn’t get this out now, he probably never would. “I know that your two families have never gotten along, but the thing is, I really do think Draco’s grown and matured since school. He’s still so intensely private, even with me, but the tiny glimpses I’ve gotten of his true personality prove that he’s not the same person he was back then. That beneath the snark and sarcasm and cruel humour, there really is an actual nice person in there trying to get out. And before you say it, yes, I know what I sound like. I know you can’t change someone just because you want them to change. But I also know what I’ve seen and I really do believe that there is a normal person under the shields he holds up against the rest of the world.”

 

“And you believe that he’s willing to take those shields down for you?”

 

“I hope he is.” Harry shook his head. “Even if he isn’t and this doesn’t work, I can’t stay with Ginny now I know I don’t like women. I can’t keep living a lie.”

 

“No, I see that and it’s totally understandable. You know she’s going to the papers?”

 

“I do. I also know that that’s been stalled for the time being.” Harry allowed the edges of his lips to curve just a little at the look of surprise that crossed Percy’s face. “I need to speak with her before everything goes public. I want to get as much sorted out as possible before the _Prophet_ gets hold of the story and makes my life even more unbearable than it’s about to become. We need to get started on the divorce, we need to agree to the split of the household and I want a guarantee that I’ll get at least half custody of the kids. Hell, if she’s going to continue working away, then it’s probably best if I have main custody of them.”

 

“Harry–” There was a definite ‘be reasonable’ tone to Percy’s voice, but Harry was having none of it.

 

“I refuse to allow my children to be raised by anyone other than their parents. If Ginny wants to have main custody, then she needs to be working from London. There is any number of things I am willing to compromise on, but my children’s safety, security and stability aren’t on that list. I know what it’s like to feel unsafe and unwanted in your own home and I refuse to allow my kids to know how that feels. They’ll have a stable home at Grimmauld; one with a parent who is actually there for them.”

 

Percy leant back in his chair, puffing out a breath as he did so. “This is going to be absolute _hell_ on everyone involved, isn’t it?”

 

“I’m sorry, Perce, I really, _really_ am, but yes, it is. If I could change that, then I would, but I don’t see Ginny being reasonable about much of this. If she’s already trying to shop her version around, then I would think she’s aiming to have me discredited as soon as possible.”

 

“You think she’d go after your job?” Percy’s eyebrows shot up into his receding hairline as he glanced around the office.

 

“I honestly have no idea, but I can’t see me coming out of this with a very good reputation either way. I really don’t think she’ll need to say much about what happened with Draco: the people will see the word ‘cheat’ and assume the worst no matter whether it relates to the both of us or not. So much of my work depends on the people being able to trust me that it won’t take much for her to destroy all of it.” Which is exactly why Harry had seriously been considering a change in careers; not that Percy needed to know that right at that moment. “Is she still at your parent’s place?”

 

“I think she is, yes. You’re thinking of confronting her there?”

 

“Honestly, I’d rather not. Molly really isn’t happy with me at the moment and I’d rather speak to them both separately. “

 

Percy was silent for a few seconds before he gave Harry a small smile. “That would be your best bet, I’d say. Mother was the one who was always trying to convince me to see the light back during the War.” All Percy did was smile again when Harry met his eyes, although there was a sadness there that sent a shot of sympathy through Harry’s stomach. “But on that note, I must get going. I wish you luck with whatever you decide to do and if there’s anything I can do, please let me know.”

 

Harry smiled in return, but he knew that he wouldn’t be asking Percy to risk being ostracised by his family again. It was nice knowing that he was willing to offer, but Harry couldn’t have that on his conscience, not when he knew how much effort Percy had put in over the years to make up for his behaviour during the War. Turning back to his desk after seeing Percy out, Harry fought back the urge to send a note to Draco requesting some stress relief before sitting back down and dragging his paperwork back in front of him.

 

*~*

 

Draco smiled as he caught sight of Yasmine Archibald out of the corner of his eye again. She had been following him through Diagon for the past few minutes, obviously waiting for the opportunity to get him alone. He knew that this must mean that the Weaselette had already started trying to shop her story around and that Yasmine was going to explode the second she got him alone, so he detoured down a side alley, heading towards a small, very discreet cafe he knew of. Greeting the waitress as she showed him to a booth at the back of the shop, Draco ordered tea for two and pulled that week’s copy of the _Quibbler_ out, propping it prominently against the sugar bowl. He knew that Yasmine was difficult to rattle, but figured any little jab at her was worth the effort, just in case.

 

“Malfoy.”

 

He glanced up from the magazine just as the waitress arrived with the tea service. Smiling blandly, Draco gestured to the empty opposite side of the booth, indicating that she should sit. He cast privacy charms around them the second the waitress left.

 

“Tea?”

 

“You fucking bastard.”

 

Draco managed to swipe the teapot up just in time to avoid having it crash into his lap as Yasmine threw a sheaf of papers onto the table. He shot her a chiding look that he usually reserved for Scorpius before replacing the pot carefully on the table.

 

“Now, now, there’s no need for a tantrum in public. You knew exactly what you were getting into when you agreed to pull that story.”

 

“Did I really? If I’d known that your ‘personal interest’ in this story was that you’ve managed to break up Ginny and Harry’s marriage, then I wouldn’t have agreed to the deal and you know it!”

 

Settling back into the softly padded bench, Draco smiled. “That is exactly why I didn’t give you details. I did promise you that you’d be the first to get the full story, not just what that – _woman_ – wants everyone to know and I fully intend to deliver.”

 

“When?”

 

“When it is convenient for me.” He knew that he needed to discuss this properly with Harry and find out what was going on between him and his wife before he could release anything. Even then, he would need to have Harry sit down and write everything down and he had no idea when he would even have the time to do anything like that with everything he was going to have to do over the next few weeks and months. “I can trust you to keep your word?”

 

Yasmine eyed him for a few seconds before offering up a sarcastic smile. “As much as I can trust you to hold to yours.”

 

Scooping up the papers she had thrown at him, Draco smiled. “In that case, you must excuse me. The tea’s already paid for, please help yourself.”

 

Exiting the cafe, Draco hurried down towards the Apparition point. He had a lot of work to do.


	15. Chapter 15

Fidgeting with the bottom of his shirt, Harry mentally scolded himself for his nerves. He was currently making his way up the path that led to the Burrow, having made the decision the day before after speaking with Percy to go and collect his daughter from Molly and Arthur’s. Having worked in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement for the past 19 years, he knew that them keeping Lily from him was illegal and that he had every right to have her when Ginny wasn’t around. The problem he was facing was trying to convince Molly to give her up without him having to call his colleagues in to forcibly take his daughter back. That was something he wished to avoid both for the sake of his relationship with Molly and Arthur as well as for Lily’s sake. Being treated like one of the children Harry had had to save from the squalor their parents made them live in was not something he was ever willing to allow his daughter to have to go through. Taking a deep breath as he rounded the corner to come into visual range of the house, he let it out slowly when he saw Molly waiting for him at the door.

 

“Molly.” He nodded a greeting and offered a small smile. “How are you?”

 

He was greeted by a silence so thorough he thought she had maybe not heard him. Shifting his weight and rubbing a hand along the back of his neck, Harry glanced around warily, his years of training kicking in to protect him from any danger that may have popped up. He knew it was ridiculous – that Molly wouldn’t try to hex him or anything like that – but he couldn’t help feeling as though that was exactly what was about to happen. Well, he reconsidered, there had _once_ been a time when she wouldn’t have considered hexing him, at least. He was just about to speak again when she beat him to it.

 

“You think you can just show up here after treating my daughter the way you have and everything will be alright?” There was a tightly controlled anger in her voice that made Harry flinch involuntarily. “She’s told us all about what you’ve been up to – and with _whom_. How could you, Harry?”

 

Well, at least she wasn’t screaming at him. Yet. Shifting his weight onto the other leg again, Harry gathered his thoughts before speaking.

 

“Yes, I cheated on Ginny; I’m not going to insult you by denying it. The thing is, it started three weeks ago and Ginny knows it.”

 

“Oh, so now you’re calling her a liar, are you?” Molly stepped out of the doorway to stand in front of the house, her arms crossed tightly across her chest. “Ginny isn’t even here to defend herself! I expected so much more from you than these kinds of childish accusations, Harry. We have loved and sheltered you for most of your life and this is how you repay us?”

 

Hanging his head, Harry sighed. He knew that he should have known that Molly wouldn’t want to actually listen to him; Ginny was their favourite child, after all. The thing was, he couldn’t deny what Molly had just said, because calling Ginny a liar was _exactly_ what he was doing. The fact that Ginny was so willing to lie to her family was unsurprising to Harry, especially considering what she had done to him, but that knowledge didn’t stop it from hurting any. He had thought himself in love with her for 20 years now, after all. Gathering all of his resolve, he focussed on the actual point of his trip to the Burrow.

 

“Molly, I don’t want to argue with you. All I’m here to do is pick Lily up so I can take her back to Grimmauld with me.” He looked up to see Molly’s eyes widening in apparent offense.

 

“She is perfectly safe where she is.”

 

Harry’s shoulders tensed at the suggestion that he couldn’t keep his daughter safe. “I have no doubt of that. However, she is _my_ daughter, not yours. If Ginny wants to continue working away from London, then I’m going to be looking after Lily. You know I have never and would never endanger any of my children and I resent the implication that I would.”

 

He couldn’t help the anger that showed through in his voice: in all the years he had been an Auror, not _once_ had his family been endangered. The very idea that Molly could insinuate that that would change now that Ginny wasn’t going to be a part of his life anymore was ludicrous at the least and unbelievably insulting at the most. Rolling his shoulders to release some of the tension building up in him, Harry clenched his jaw in an effort to stay in control.

 

“Maybe you wouldn’t on purpose. Have you thought of the effect it would have on them if you’re going to be bringing strange men home at all hours of the night?”

 

“If I’m _what_?” Harry’s hands clenched by his sides as anger coursed through him. “Where did you... No, you know what? I think I already know. Ginny told you that I’ve been bringing people home while she isn’t there, right?”

 

“There you go again, calling my daughter a liar. If you want me to believe a single thing you say, then you’re going to have to start saying things that are believable, Harry.”

 

“What? You–” Harry cut himself off before he could swear at Molly. Turning around so he didn’t have to look at her, he ran his hands through his hair, pulling on it slightly so he wouldn’t lose what was left of his crumbling composure. “ _Three weeks._ I have known that I am gay for _three weeks_ , Molly. In that time, there has only been Draco, I swear. And he has never seen the inside of the house I shared with Ginny and the kids.” He turned back to see disbelief clear on her face. “I don’t know exactly what Ginny has told you, but I can guarantee that I am not lying to you. I’ll even take a truth serum if it comes to that. Ginny, on the other hand, has been cheating on me for sixteen _years_. Rhys confirmed it when I confronted him after watching her trying to convince him to start another affair with her just last week. I know that you don’t believe me, but honestly, what you do or don’t believe is completely irrelevant to me right at this point. All I am here to do is collect my daughter, then I’ll be going. If Ginny wants her back when she comes back from wherever she is right now, then she can come and ask nicely, like a civil person should.”

 

He had a feeling that his honesty was not going to be appreciated at this stage, but he found he really couldn’t care. What he wanted was his daughter and he wasn’t leaving there without her. Molly was just opening her mouth to respond – or hex him, Harry had no real idea – but a shriek from inside the house cut her off.

 

“Daddy!”

 

Lily rushed out of the house, ducking under Molly’s hand as she made a grab for her and flung herself into Harry’s waiting arms. Scooping his daughter up and swinging her around in a circle, Harry let out a relieved laugh.

 

“Oh, I’ve missed you, baby girl,” he murmured into her hair as he hugged her close.

 

“I missed you too, Dad. Mum says you’re not going to be around anymore.” Lily’s voice was muffled against Harry’s shoulder, but she didn’t pull back.

 

“Well, your Mum’s wrong, Lil,” Harry informed her, locking eyes with Molly over Lily’s shoulder and raising an eyebrow at her. “I’m not leaving you or the boys, not ever. Do you want to come back to Grimmauld with me?”

 

“Yes please.”

 

Harry’s smile widened: there was no way Molly could say he had stolen Lily from her house now, not with verbal confirmation that Lily wanted to leave with him. Giving her one last, tight squeeze, he lowered Lily down to the ground and knelt down in front of her.

 

“Go grab your stuff and say goodbye to your grandparents and we’ll be off.”

 

He grinned when Lily spun around and rushed back into the house. Having Lily back was like a weight lifting from his shoulders and he felt as though he could breathe easily for the first time since Friday afternoon when things had first blown up. That is, until he met Molly’s eyes again.

 

“Satisfied, are you?” The glare she shot him could have liquefied his kidneys if it had any kind of power behind it.

 

“Yes,” he answered simply. “Lily is the only reason I am here, so I’m quite satisfied with the outcome.”

 

There was a flash of something unidentifiable in Molly’s eyes that had Harry convinced that there was much more that she wanted to say, but was holding back. Instead, she settled for another glare.

 

“If I hear about anything untoward going on in that house while my granddaughter is there...”

 

She left the threat open, but Harry had heard enough. Stepping close to her, he matched her glare for glare.

 

“And if you _ever_ imply that I would endanger any of my children again, I’ll make absolutely certain that _you_ never see any of them again.”

 

Lily ran back out of the house just then, preventing the two of them from coming to actual blows. Harry grasped his daughter’s hand and led her back down the path after she had said goodbye to Molly, who continued to glare daggers at Harry over Lily’s shoulder. Not that he cared what Molly thought of him right at that moment; he had Lily back and that was all that mattered.

 

*~*

 

_I want you. Come over._

_\- Harry_

 

“Not very subtle is he?”

 

Draco sighed and snatched the note away from where Astoria was reading over his shoulder. “Do you read all of my mail?”

 

“Psh, please! You’d know if I was.” She grinned, leaving him to wonder exactly what she would do with the information she could have gathered over the years if she had been reading all his mail. “Have you actually managed to work out exactly what this thing is yet? Because let me tell you, you went past ‘it’s just sex’ pretty much the second you decided to stick with him during this divorce.”

 

Closing his eyes as he leant back into the soft cushions of the lounge in front of the fire, Draco tried to compose an answer that wouldn’t encourage further questions from his nosy wife. He heard the soft footsteps that indicated that she was walking around the lounge so she could claim the opposite end, but he sat still, ignoring her for the time being. The real answer was simple, really: this was a relationship and Draco was falling for Harry. He knew it and couldn’t stop it even if he wanted to. The fact that he actually wanted this should have been scaring the hell out of him, but it really wasn’t and he was only just realising why: he was more comfortable with Harry than with any other person he had ever been with. There had always been something about the git that Draco had found appealing and now that he realised just how _good_ they were together, he was finding him more and more irresistible. Scrunching the note in his hand, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

 

“I fail to see why it has to _be_ anything.” Astoria was silent for longer than Draco liked, forcing him to look over at her. He immediately regretted it when he saw the soft look she was giving him. “Please refrain from turning this into one of your trashy Muggle romance novels. Potter is not a damsel in distress and I am certainly _not_ a cruel pirate with a soft centre.”

 

“Sounds like you’ve been reading some of my ‘trashy Muggle romance novels’.” Astoria grinned when Draco rolled his eyes.

 

“They put a half naked man on the cover and I’m expected to not look?”

 

He smiled when the remark caused her smile to turn to proper laughter. People could say what they wanted about their relationship – and after the _Prophet_ article came out, they definitely would –but this is what he valued with Astoria. Her ability to make him laugh at himself had been invaluable over the years and combined with a genuine affection, it was the best relationship he had ever had. Although, he reconsidered, Harry had the potential to leave Astoria in the dust purely based on the way his arse looked in those jeans he practically lived in when off-duty. He was rudely dragged out of that line of thought when Astoria stood up from the lounge. She moved so she could ruffle his hair.

 

“You’d better get going; your damsel is calling.”

 

Draco was still smiling when he stepped through the floo at Grimmauld Place. Glancing around the room, he took in the clean windows and furniture, the updated curtains and the lack of anything alcoholic on the sideboard. It seemed that Harry had decided to stay here permanently, if the changes were anything to go by. Frowning when he realised that he was the only one in the room, he made his way out into the hall, moving quietly by habit more than anything else.

 

“Harry?”

 

It seemed that there had been no need for him to be quiet, if the thundering of footfalls down the stairs was any indication. Harry appeared at the top of the set of stairs that led to the first floor a few seconds later. There was a huge grin on his face that told Draco something had gone right for once. Refusing to acknowledge the flipping of his stomach at the sight of Harry looking so happy in his presence, Draco raised an eyebrow.

 

“Overdose on Cheering Charms?”

 

Harry merely grinned wider – if that was possible – and took the stairs two at a time until he landed in front of Draco. “I got Lily back.”

 

Draco blinked a few times before the significance of what he had just been told sank in. “She was keeping your child from you?” A stark horror at the idea of being separated from Scorpius like that settled in Draco’s stomach and he had to swiftly clamp down on the surge of anger that rushed through him. “I would have thought that the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement would have realised that that was incredibly illegal.”

 

“Well, not Gi – I mean...”

 

Harry sighed. Nerves fluttered through Draco’s stomach as Harry stepped close enough to place both hands on the sides of Draco’s face and draw him into a soft kiss.

 

“Say ‘I am happy for you, Harry’. That’s the standard response when someone tells you something good has happened.”

 

Wrapping his arms around Harry’s waist so he could slip his hands into the back pockets of the black jeans Harry wore, Draco smiled. “I’m happy you got your daughter back from your insane wife, Potter.”

 

“Well, it was actually from my insane wife’s apparently equally insane mother, but thank you.” He slid his hands down from Draco’s face to grip the collar of his shirt, pulling him in for another, harsher kiss. “And it’s Harry.”

 

Draco squeezed the hands in Harry’s pockets, dragging him up against him. “Harry,” he whispered, smiling when Harry’s breath hitched a little. “Allow me to show you the ‘standard’ way of greeting a partner you haven’t seen since yesterday morning.”

 

Taking his time this time, Draco enjoyed the tension created by the build-up. He watched as Harry’s eyes slid closed in anticipation and he couldn’t help watching for a little while longer as he brushed his lips gently over Harry’s, his pulse quickening with each little flicker of Harry’s eyes beneath his closed lids. He gave up on any kind of teasing when Harry leant just that little bit further into him, pressing their lips together a bit more firmly. Harry’s lips were soft and pliable against his and Draco had to resist sighing in pleasure when they opened automatically for him. Sliding his left hand up Harry’s back to pull him closer still allowed Draco to slip his other hand into the opposite back pocket, sealing Harry tightly in his arms. The press of that solid warmth against his chest – as well as the toned arse in his hand – sent Draco’s head spinning with lust and he found himself struggling to keep a firm grip on reality. Harry tasted of tea and biscuits instead of the wine or whiskey Draco was so used to with his past conquests; just one more thing to set him apart from everyone else. Of course, one of his other defining characteristics was his spectacularly bad sense of timing.

 

“Want a drink?”

 

Frustration crept up Draco’s spine as Harry stepped out of the circle of his arms and started off down the hallway as though that kiss had had no affect on him whatsoever. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, hoping to calm his heart rate enough so his blood stopped rushing in his ears. Following along behind Harry, Draco couldn’t help watching the movement of his arse in those tight jeans and imagining exactly what he wanted to do to that arse... He sighed, pushing the thoughts to the back of his mind when it became clear that he would have to wait.

 

“So how did you manage it without being hexed senseless?” Draco settled himself down at the long table that ran the length of the kitchen as soon as Harry had handed over a cup of surprisingly good hot chocolate. “I would assume Mama Weasley wouldn’t be any kind of a pushover.”

 

Watching Harry had always been a fascinating way to pass the time for Draco, but now that he was actually allowed to watch him, it had become even more than that. Over the past few weeks he had unconsciously begun to catalogue little non-verbal things that Harry did. He rubbed the back of his neck and shifted his weight when he was nervous, his eyes glazed and his right eyebrow twitched when he was thinking hard about something, he nibbled on his bottom lip when he was worried and Draco knew personally that his fight or flight reflex was geared directly to ‘fight’. This was different, however. Whatever emotion that crossed Harry’s face was something that Draco had never seen before: his gaze fell to the tabletop, his hands clenched around the mug in front of him and a slight smile turned his lips upwards. Whatever it was, Draco wanted to see more of it, preferably directed at him rather than prompted by a memory.

 

“It was all Lily, actually. Molly met me at the door again and we nearly had a brawl, but Lily stopped it all.” The smile widened, sending butterflies fluttering wildly through Draco’s stomach. “She came running out of that house and...”

 

Harry shook his head, leant back against the hard wood of the bench opposite Draco and grinned wide at him. Love. Pure, unadulterated love was what Draco was seeing on Harry’s face. It softened his features, made his eyes almost glow in the gloom of the kitchen and sent heated need through Draco’s stomach. He sat up straighter, rocking his hips forward without thinking so he could enjoy the pressure of his fly against his hardening cock. Harry, unfortunately, seemed to be completely oblivious as to the effect he was having on Draco and kept on talking.

 

“I swear I haven’t felt this kind of relief since I was standing in the Headmaster’s office after the end of the Battle. I had no idea that there was this kind of pressure on me since Friday. Honestly, I thought all the tenseness and stress was stemming from Ginny and her lies... Draco?”

 

Finding himself caught in Harry’s intense green stare was something Draco both desperately wanted and equally desperately did not want. He knew this was important to Harry; that his family had to come first. He was not going to destroy this moment for him simply because he couldn’t control his own apparently raging libido. Dropping his gaze to the tabletop, Draco cleared his throat.

 

“I’m fine.”

 

His eyes closed automatically when he heard the hoarseness of his voice. Taking yet another deep breath in an attempt to calm his heart rate again, he bit down on the inside of his lip, hoping the jab of pain would help him to focus. When he raised his eyes again, Harry was nowhere in sight.

 

“Harry?” Draco jumped when he felt the first, tentative touch of Harry’s fingers running up his trouser leg. “What are you doing?”

 

“You.”

 

It was such a simple word, but it held everything Draco needed. Leaning back in the bench so he could see where Harry was, he was greeted by a wide smile as Harry’s hands ran the length of his thighs. As tempted as Draco was to simply Vanish his trousers, he stopped himself, knowing that he would need clothing the next morning. Instead, he began to fumble with the zipper of his fly, biting down on his bottom lip as Harry leant in close and huffed hot breath over his fingers.

 

“Don’t hold back, Draco; let me hear you.”

 

“ _Fuck_ ,” Draco responded intelligently as Harry’s hands replaced his, opening his zipper and finally freeing him from his trousers. The light brush of Harry’s fingers against his hot skin sent a shiver through him. “Please.”

 

Spreading his legs as wide as his trousers would allow, Draco stared down in wonder as Harry tentatively ran his fingers along his length, seeming to want to explore more than pleasure at that moment. The gentle touches confused Draco for a moment before the reason finally clicked: Harry had never done this before. The thought sent desire shooting through him again and his breath huffed out when the feeling was combined with the first soft brush of Harry’s fingers over the head of his cock. Moving his own hand down to wrap around Harry’s, Draco smiled at the questioning look he received.

 

“There’s no need to be gentle; I’m no different to you.”

 

He smiled when Harry’s grip became a little firmer. He had not had to guide someone like this in many years, but figured it may very well be worth the effort: Harry would only know how what Draco liked and wouldn’t do anything he didn’t. The first stroke of Harry’s hand – aided by magically conjured lube – seemed to prove Draco’s theory right. Not that he had much room to spare in his mind for congratulating himself, as nearly all thoughts were driven out by the hot jabs of pleasure shooting through him. The pressure Harry was putting on him was just right as he stroked slowly and Draco allowed his head to fall backwards, enjoying the touch of Harry’s hand on him. The need of something more began to build in Draco’s stomach as his breathing increased in time with his pulse.

 

“More; need more,” he gasped. The request was followed swiftly by the flicking of the rough side of Harry’s tongue over the leaking head of Draco’s cock and he let out a deep groan. “Yes, Gods yes.”

 

Harry’s tongue flicked out over his cock again, seeming to be tasting him and Draco gripped the edge of the bench beneath him. If Harry wanted to explore, he was not going to stop him, but he wished he would hurry up. Staring down at the slightly glazed look on Harry’s face, Draco had to bite down on his lip again when Harry’s lips opened and he sucked lightly on the tip of Draco’s cock. Sweet Merlin, but that felt good! It had been too long since Draco had had a blowjob and even Harry’s inexpert delivery was driving him onwards to orgasm faster than he would care to admit. The pressure around him increased when Harry sucked him a little further into his mouth so he could rub his tongue against his head.

 

“Harry,” he gasped, more breath than voice.

 

“Hmm?”

 

The vibrations of the sound almost sent Draco completely over the edge. Leaning forward and panting harshly, one of his hands moved to grip a handful of Harry’s hair, holding him in place.

 

“Just there... Keep... Please...”

 

Harry hummed again and Draco saw stars. One last flick of the rough side of Harry’s tongue, combined with the stroking of his hand and the sucking pressure, was all it took for Draco to lose control completely. Gripping Harry’s head in both hands, he thrust upwards once, twice more before he came, shooting hot spurts of cum into Harry’s mouth. His eyes squeezed shut tight, Draco could feel that Harry had not managed to catch all of him, but he had not really expected him to; hardly anyone did their first time.

 

“Come here.”

 

Harry obeyed silently, sliding up from beneath the table to straddle Draco’s thighs. The press of a hard bulge against Draco’s stomach had him smiling: it was time to return the favour. Threading one hand through Harry’s hair again, he pulled him down into a harsh kiss as he freed him from his jeans. The taste of himself on Harry’s tongue had Draco groaning as he began to stroke him quickly, knowing that Harry must be nearly as worked up as he had been. Sure enough, he had Harry coming all over both their chests in less than a minute, groaning and jerking in his lap. Draco had the presence of mind to clean them both up as Harry collapsed against his chest, panting harshly.

 

“You’re staying the night.”

 

Draco knew it was more of a demand than a request and he smiled. “Whatever you want.”


	16. Chapter 16

Draco, as it turned out, was one of the horniest people Harry had ever met. Being woken the next morning to the sensation of having his earlobe sucked on was yet another entirely new experience for him; one that he discovered he quite liked. Draco’s scent washed over him, still slightly musky from their activities the night before and so incredibly masculine that Harry’s head began to swim with desire before he was even fully awake. Humming in appreciation as he leant back into Draco’s touch earned him a deep chuckle in his ear.

 

“It’s about time you woke up.”

 

“Mmm? What’s the time?”

 

Harry raised his head so he could blink blurrily at the clock on his bedside. The darkness in the room made it impossible for him to make out the numbers without his glasses, however, and he glanced back over his shoulder to see Draco smirking at him.

 

“5am.”

 

“5?” Harry groaned as he threw himself back down onto his pillows, almost all of the thoughts of how good this felt swiftly leaving his mind. “Bugger off, Malfoy.”

 

Another deep chuckle behind him sent a delightful shiver through Harry’s stomach, but he resolutely tried to ignore it. This was way too early for him to be up when he was facing an entire day of stress and boredom at work, no matter how good Draco was capable of making him feel. Unfortunately for Harry, it seemed that Draco was just as determined as he was that he would get his own way. Harry held his breath as Draco’s hot lips trailed a line down his spine. Each kiss, each small nip against his skin seemed to be enhanced by the darkness and silence surrounding them and Harry was beginning to have problems keeping still by the time Draco reached the middle of his back.

 

“I actually need to talk to you about something.”

 

Talk? Harry clenched the sheet in his hands in an attempt to not groan out loud. After waking him up a few hours before he usually awoke and spending the last few minutes working him up, Draco wanted to _talk_? Huffing the breath had been holding out through his nose, Harry rolled over onto his back, very pointedly giving Draco a view of his half-hard cock.

 

“Can’t it wait?”

 

Draco shot him another smirk. “I can multitask.”

 

Draco may very well have been able to multitask, but it seemed to Harry that he was in no hurry to demonstrate that ability. Moving back up Harry’s body, Draco began the slow torture again. He started just below Harry’s left ear this time, slowly nibbling and kissing his way downwards. Harry’s eyes closed involuntarily as pleasure began to build in his stomach and he tilted his head back to allow Draco better access.

 

“Ginevra has been to the _Prophet_ already.”

 

Something in the back of Harry’s mind registered the scorn in Draco’s voice when he said Ginny’s name, but the rest of him was more focussed on what Draco’s lips were doing, rather than what they were saying. With the massive waves of lust washing through him, Harry was incredibly tempted to just give in to his desires and allow Draco to do whatever he wanted to him. However, he knew that Draco wouldn’t allow that. He trailed his hands up Draco’s sides instead, enjoying the small intake of breath it caused. It was Draco nipping sharply at his Adam’s apple that forced Harry’s mind back to the present.

 

“I thought she would have. How did you know?”

 

A sucking sensation at the base of his throat told Harry that Draco had moved on again and he let out what sounded very much like a whimper. Clenching his hands, Harry knew that his nails must be digging into the pale skin of Draco’s shoulders, but he found it was impossible for him to unclench them.

 

“The always charming Mrs. Archibald stalked me through Diagon yesterday afternoon. She gave me a copy of Ginevra’s side of the story while we had tea.” There was something to the tone of Draco’s voice that told Harry that there was much more to that meeting than what Draco had said, but Harry was rapidly losing his ability to concentrate on anything other than what Draco was doing to him. “She’s getting impatient, Harry. I need you to write down your side.”

 

Harry’s breath hissed out of him as Draco sucked hard on one of his nipples, sending pleasure jolting through him. He had never realised that his nipples were so sensitive to rough treatment before Draco began paying attention to them, but he was incredibly grateful for the realisation now. Arching into the touch, he knew he had to do something about the ache building in his groin.

 

“Fuck me or talk at me, Draco. I can’t do both.”

 

Draco’s laugh vibrated through Harry’s chest again and he groaned. “What would you do if I decided talking was more important than you getting off?”

 

Raising his head to look Draco in the eye, Harry grinned. “I’d make you watch as I showed you what you were missing.”

 

“You would too, wouldn’t you?”

 

Draco quickly moved up so that he could claim Harry’s lips in a harsh kiss, preventing him from responding. The friction caused by the slide of Draco’s skin against his had Harry groaning in appreciation again and he wriggled in an attempt to gain as much pleasure out of their current position as possible. He had discovered that if he opened his legs or offered himself in some way, it often caused Draco to move faster. Doing so this time brought their hips together in a very satisfying way and Harry jerked in response. He was rapidly losing control over his reactions and was just about to break the kiss to demand to be taken when Draco broke it for him.

 

“Roll over.”

 

“No.”

 

“Excuse me?” Draco raised a pale eyebrow, but the snotty look was ruined by the flush of his cheeks.

 

“Face-to-face. I want to see you.”

 

Harry raised his knees so he could hook his ankles around Draco’s back, not knowing if this would make the position easier or not, but determined now that he had said it. He watched Draco’s reaction, thankful that he was close enough so he could still make out his features in the gloom. He seemed to be struggling with something and Harry reached automatically to brush his fingers through Draco’s hair. The move caused Draco to shiver and Harry smiled in response.

 

“You’re a lot bossier this early in the morning.”

 

Harry took this for confirmation that he would get his way and grinned. It seemed that he had been right about the position they were in: Draco grabbed hold of his thighs and pushed them as far back as Harry could comfortably take before settling down against him again. It was so much more intimate being face-to-face that Harry hardly dared to even breathe as Draco cast the charms. He unclenched his hands from where they had been on Draco’s shoulders and moved them so they rested on Draco’s hips instead, suddenly nervous about what they were about to do.

 

“Breathe, Harry. This is no different to any other time we’ve been together.”

 

Harry swallowed hard and nodded. He didn’t really believe a word Draco had said, but he knew he had to at least try to relax. Focussing on just how good he knew this could feel, he closed his eyes as he felt Draco pushing forward. It seemed to Harry that he was filled much faster this time than any other time and he automatically arched into Draco, biting down on his bottom lip at the sensation. Thankfully, Draco went much slower than usual and he caused Harry very little pain, although whether this was because of the new position or because Draco had realised just how nervous Harry was, Harry had no idea.

 

As focussed as he was on his own worry, Harry didn’t realise he was being watched closely until he met Draco’s eyes. With the pupils dilated, Harry could only just make out a small sliver of grey around the edges of Draco’s eyes, but that wasn’t what caught his attention. There was something there, some kind of spark of emotion that Harry had never really seen directed at him before. Sure, he had seen lust; it almost came with the territory of being the man who had defeated Voldemort. He had also seen the kind of affection that Ginny had once looked at him with, but this was something different even from that. There was something raw, something almost primal about the emotion in Draco’s eyes and Harry wanted more of it.

 

“Dra–”

 

He was cut off as Draco slammed their mouths together in a kiss that Harry was fairly certain had drawn blood. Meeting Draco with the same kind of passion, Harry kissed him back, shoving his tongue into Draco’s mouth with just as much enthusiasm. A small whimper escaped him when he felt Draco begin to move; slowly at first, but increasing in tempo as he realised that Harry wasn’t objecting. Harry slid his hands along Draco’s back again, using them to pull him closer as the pleasure built steadily inside him. The sensation of having the kind of friction he craved during sex without having to provide it himself was bringing Harry apart a lot faster than usual and he groaned as he broke the kiss.

 

“Fuck, Draco... Good, so good...”

 

He knew he was babbling, but really didn’t care at this point. He had Draco exactly where he had been craving having him for a while now and it was _good_. He whined a little when Draco changed angle, managing to brush against his prostate.

 

“There, right there...” Harry let out a high-pitched sound that he would have been embarrassed by if he had not been stretching, reaching for orgasm so intensely. “Close... Please, please.”

 

It took one hard slam against his prostate to tip Harry over the edge. The pleasure that crashed through him caused him to see stars and he was only just barely aware of Draco crying out at the same time and freezing on top of him. What did register with him was Draco’s weight landing on him the second his body stopped spasming. Harry wrapped his arms around Draco automatically, holding him as he trembled. The only sound in the room was the combination of their heavy breathing as they attempted to catch their breath.

 

“Please tell me this room is Silenced,” Draco gasped after a few minutes, causing Harry to huff out a small laugh.

 

“Lily’s upstairs and sleeps like the dead. But yes, it is.”

 

“Mmm, never would have picked you as a screamer.”

 

“Never had a reason to be before now.” Harry turned his head so he could nip at the side of Draco’s neck and smiled at the small chuckle he received in return.

 

“I should probably leave before Lily wakes.” There was reluctance in Draco’s voice and Harry was about to object when he spoke again. “I wouldn’t want the first impression your daughter had of me to be scruffy and smelling like I’d spent the night fucking you senseless, would I?”

 

Harry’s objections died on his tongue. Draco was right, he knew it. If they wanted this to last, then they both had to make good first impressions with the various children they had to eventually meet.

 

“Will I see you again today?” He more felt Draco’s smile than saw it. “You’ll need to get my side of the story, after all.”

 

“Tomorrow. You can owl me the story and I’ll put it together for Yasmine to publish.”

 

An ache filled Harry’s chest, but he resolutely ignored it. Draco was right again: getting his side of the story out at the same time as Ginny’s had to take precedence over him getting laid, no matter what his libido told him. He moved his hands so he could brush one set of fingers along Draco’s hairline.

 

“You’re sure you’re ready for this? Because it isn’t going to be very pretty.”

 

Draco pulled back from him, his smirk firmly back in place as he cast cleansing charms over the both of them. “You’re speaking to a second-generation Death Eater, Harry. I’ve had curses cast at me from the unlikeliest of people in the days following the end of the War, so I doubt it will come as much of a surprise when it starts up again.”

 

Harry watched him as he stood to dress, searching out his clothing from where they had tossed it the night before. While he knew that letting Draco go right now was what he had to do – and that he would see him again soon – he did not want to leave the night how they were at the moment. Leaving the bed as quietly as he could, he waited for Draco to dress himself before moving to scoop him into his arms. Placing a quick kiss on Draco’s lips obviously surprised him and Harry grinned.

 

“Lily has a thing for potions and milk chocolate.”

 

“You’re suggesting I bribe her with sweets and potions ingredients?”

 

“No, it’s more of a warning than a suggestion. You’ll be bombarded by questions if you _don’t_ bribe her with chocolate.” Harry grinned again when Draco rolled his eyes. “Go now; let me sleep for once.”

 

Harry didn’t quite hear Draco’s response as he exited the room, but it sure did sound like a threat of not allowing Harry any sleep at all. He was smiling as he fell back into the bed, content and satisfied.

 

*~*

 

Draco sighed as he lay sprawled along the length of the lounge down in his basement workroom. He knew that once again he had given too much away that morning and that Harry had noticed again. It was becoming more and more difficult for Draco to hide his emotions from Harry, especially when they were intimate and the thought scared him a little. He knew these fears stemmed partially from the fact that he had not had a proper relationship since before he and Astoria had married and partially from the worry that he would allow himself to fall for Harry, then be dumped once Harry worked out what he really wanted. However, despite these kinds of thoughts, he had never once regretted making the decision to stick with Harry through this.

 

These fears were also the reason he had run that morning. Of course, the excuse he had given Harry was a perfectly valid one; he certainly didn’t want to terrify or disgust Lily the first time he met her. However, it had just been an excuse, no matter how accurate it was. The realisation that Harry had noticed something had sent panic straight through Draco’s chest and the excuse had came flying out of his mouth seemingly of its own accord. He knew that having this kind of reaction to these feelings wasn’t the best thing in the world, especially if he wanted this relationship to continue, but he was finding it difficult to change his habits. The sound of footsteps on the stairs jerked him back to the present.

 

“This just came for you.”

 

Astoria smiled as she tossed a rolled up piece of parchment at him. Draco nodded his thanks and unrolled it, smiling a little when he recognised Harry’s untidy scrawl. A quick scan of the first two lines told him this was his account of everything that had happened and he nodded with satisfaction. He would read it over later to make sure it was actually readable by someone unused to deciphering Harry’s chicken scratch. He glanced up when he heard Astoria moving one of the chairs they usually sat in over near his lounge.

 

“Was there something else?”

 

Astoria sat in the chair and stared at him for longer than Draco was comfortable with. He was about to break the silence when she spoke.

 

“I think you love him.”

 

“Come on, Tori,” Draco scoffed. “He hasn’t even spoken to his wife about divorce. Do you really think I’d be stupid enough to fall in love with him when there’s absolutely no guarantee he’ll ever reciprocate?”

 

“I think we can’t choose who we fall for. I think you’ve fallen hard for him, but you just can’t see it yet. Or maybe that you fell for him in school and you’ve just repressed it. Or _maybe_ –”

 

“Hang on, hang on!” Draco held up a hand to stop her, sitting up at the same time. “You don’t honestly believe this, do you?”

 

She grinned. “That Draco Malfoy, ice queen, could only have his heart melted by a fiery Gryffindor?”

 

Draco groaned at her choice of cliché. “I’m burning those romance novels the second I get back upstairs.” He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “I think I’d know if I was in love.”

 

“Sometimes love can be instantaneous, other times it takes years to develop. I think that on some level, you and Harry have loved each other for years. Neither of you have been capable of expressing it, though, so it came out in different ways. All those years of fighting and sniping at each other – even your dislike of everything Weasley – I think it can all stem from the fact that you’ve loved each other for years.” She shrugged as she stood. “It’s kind of sweet, really.”

 

Watching her as she departed, Draco simply shook his head. Surely he would know if he was in love with Harry, right? That wasn’t something you missed recognising. Placing the parchment carefully to the side where it wouldn’t be destroyed, he forcibly shoved the thoughts to the back of his mind. He didn’t love Harry; this had to be one of the times that Astoria’s intuition was completely off-base.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looking back through the older chapters, it turns out I got Harry's age wrong! *blush* He's 37, not 38! It's been fixed now :)

Harry clenched his hands in the pockets of his Auror uniform as he paced the length of the Headmaster’s Office of Hogwarts, a combination of worry and fear running through him. He knew he really shouldn’t be this nervous about seeing his boys, but this time was different to any other time he had stopped by Hogwarts to warn them of something. They both already knew that he and Ginny were getting a divorce; he had discovered that she had already informed them, but had apparently not ‘outed’ him just yet. He figured he could be thankful for that small mercy, at least: this was definitely something he needed to do himself and it seemed that the time had come. The article was coming out in the _Prophet_ the next day – one week after the blow up at home – and both the boys needed to be forewarned.

 

“Dad? What’s wrong?” James sounded worried as Harry watched him enter the office with Al just behind him. “Mum said...”

 

Harry’s chest constricted as James trailed off. The uncertainty on his son’s face had him wondering briefly exactly what it was that Ginny had told the two of them, but he knew that that would come out over the course of the conversation they were about to have. He smiled as Al moved to hug him.

 

“Sit down, boys, there’s a few things we need to talk about.”

 

He seated himself on the edge of a small platform that held a complicated-looking device that he was certain he had smashed years before in a fit of teenage rage. Al immediately sat down on a chair next to the table just in front of the platform, but James stayed standing, his arms crossed across his chest and a scowl on his face.

 

“You and Mum are getting divorced.”

 

Harry sighed softly; he had figured James would be the more difficult of the two over this. “Yes, we are. Did she explain why?”

 

“No, I–” James threw his hands in the air and turned from him, frustration evident in his movements. “Why should I care _why_? Can’t you just...”

 

“Go on pretending?”

 

“No!” James spun back to face him again, glaring for all he was worth. “I don’t want anyone to pretend to like each other. What I want is for my family to be together. I don’t want you to leave us.”

 

“Leave you?” Harry’s jaw clenched briefly as anger coursed through him at the memory of Lily saying something very similar to him just the other day. “Jamie, I would never leave you or your brother and sister. The only thing that this divorce changes between us is that your Mother and I won’t be living together anymore. I love you guys more than anything else in the world and I’m not going anywhere, alright?”

 

A small sniffle from the side brought his attention back to Al and he moved automatically to scoop him into a tight hug. Opening his other arm as James made a small movement towards them, Harry smiled when he ran into his arms. He had no idea if it was what Ginny had said to them, but both of his boys seemed to be taking the news of their impending divorce much rougher than Lily had. It could have been put down to the fact that Lily had been there to see the strain and tension between the two of them over the few weeks since the boys had gone back to school, but Harry was more inclined to think Ginny had told the boys that Harry was leaving them forever. James was the first to pull back and Harry let him, moving so that he could sit back down on the platform behind him.

 

“I am so sorry boys, but there’s more to this than just your Mum and I getting divorced.”

 

“Mum said you’ve moved into Grimmauld with someone else.” Al’s voice was thick and it caused Harry’s anger to surge, but he bit down on his tongue so he wouldn’t show it. “That’s why we weren’t going to see you much anymore.”

 

Harry scrubbed at his eyes beneath his glasses. Of _course_ she had told them that; how else would she go about trying to alienate him from his children? Swallowing back a bitter remark that he would never allow himself to utter in front of any of his kids, he sighed. Unwilling to try the same tactic as Ginny had, he decided to tell them the exact truth. That was what he had come here for in the first place, anyway.

 

“She got that part partially right. I have moved into Grimmauld, but the only other person living there with me is your sister. You’ll all be able to come over any time you want. There are bedrooms for all three of you, as well as Teddy if he wants to visit.” He paused, knowing that he had come to the point where he had to explain about his sexuality. Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly as he looked between the two of them. “There’s something else you both need to know and it will probably come as a bit of a shock. I’ve realised over the past few weeks that I am actually gay. That’s the reason your Mum and I are divorcing.”

 

He had decided that this was the best way to explain things without having to go into actual detail about what was really going on between him and Ginny. There was absolutely no reason for any of his kids to have to know the gory details about either of them cheating or the rumours that were bound to begin flying the second the article came out. He knew it was inevitable that they would hear or read things eventually, but this first time they heard what was going on, he was determined that they would hear the truth. He had managed to shield them from the worst of the publicity that had followed both his and Ginny’s careers over the years and it helped that neither of them was interested in reading the papers. It meant that anything that happened, they heard it from him first, rather than reading about it from Rita Skeeter.

 

 He had read through Ginny’s version of what had happened that was going to be published and had been surprised that she hadn’t decided to go with a complete character assassination. She hadn’t spared many details – Draco was going to be outed in the same sentence as he was, apparently – but there were no accusations of abuse or neglect.

 

“You’re gay?” There was a strange tone to Al’s voice as he stared at Harry with a small frown. “How did you not know? And why’d you marry Mum then?”

 

His eyes widening in surprise, Harry let out a breath he had not realised he was holding. Trust Al to cut straight to the heart of things. He shook his head slowly, wanting to give him a proper answer, but knowing that not even he could explain everything.

 

“I think it came down to the fact that I loved your Mother enough to fool myself into thinking I was straight. We both wanted to get married and start a family so bad that after the War was over, we never questioned what we wanted again. We loved each other and wanted to have children together, so we did. You boys and your sister were the result of our loving each other enough to _want_ to have you together and for that I will never regret marrying her. It’s just come to a point where I have to follow my heart and staying married to your Mum isn’t the right thing to do.”

 

He had no idea where that tripe had come from, but he also knew that this was what his boys needed to hear. He had dealt with enough domestic disputes in his early years as an Auror to know that the children tended to blame themselves when it came to these kinds of situations and he was determined that his kids wouldn’t be the same. They might not need to know the full truth of the cheating and lies, but them knowing that he and Ginny had at one point loved each other very much was crucial. Although, thankfully, it seemed like neither of them was going to have any kind of breakdown over his revelation, which he thanked his lucky stars for. All he had to do now was explain the rest of what was going on without managing to traumatise them.

 

*~*

 

Blowing out a gusty sigh before stepping through the floo into Grimmauld, Draco could feel his nerves trembling. He had never been this nervous over meeting a child before but, he told himself, meeting a child had never held so many implications for him before. This was the daughter of the man he was hoping to be spending quite a lot of time with in the future and if she didn’t like him, then this relationship would most likely not last very long. He glanced down as he entered Grimmauld, brushing almost invisible ash from his robes as he heard small footsteps running down the hallway towards him.

 

“Slow down, Lily,” Harry’s voice called from what sounded far enough away to be the bottom of the stairs leading down into the kitchen. “He’ll still be there if you walk.”

 

Draco grinned as he heard the steps slow to a walk just before the doorway. Lily entered at a much slower pace than she had been travelling at and stopped a few feet in front of him. Grabbing the edges of her ruffled dress, she dipped down into a curtsey and bowed her head.

 

“Lily Potter.” She held out her hand imperiously to him as she met his eyes, a wide grin spreading across her face.

 

Deciding to play along, Draco went to one knee in front of her before grasping her fingers and bowing his head, touching them to his forehead in the ancient pure-blood greeting.  “Draco Malfoy at your service, my Lady.”

 

She gave a small shriek of laughter just as Harry entered the room. Glancing up to meet Harry’s eyes as Lily ran back to hide behind his legs, Draco’s stomach flipped at the look on his face. The heat that had been there dissipated quickly, though, as Lily laughed and peeked out from behind Harry’s back.

 

“Why don’t I ever get treated like that?” There was humour in Harry’s voice, which broke the spell Draco had been under, reminding him exactly why he was there.

 

“I’ve never seen _you_ in a princess dress, Harry, that’s why.” He tried very hard to push the memory of Astoria calling Harry his ‘damsel’ out of his mind as he crossed the room towards them. “Not that I really want to.”

 

Thinking Harry would not want to display any kind of affection – for lack of a better word – for him in front of his daughter, Draco felt shock ripple through him when he was drawn into a soft kiss as he reached the doorway. He blinked at the smile Harry shot him and raised an eyebrow in question. Thankfully, it seemed like he was going to get an explanation, as Lily popped out from behind Harry and rushed off down the hallway towards the kitchen.

 

“She’s hungry,” Harry explained in a quiet voice. “She also doesn’t like being stuck at school all day when she knows something big is happening at home.”

 

“You told her? About us, I mean?”

 

Harry took a deep breath and smiled at him before starting to move slowly after Lily. “Yeah, I told the boys as well. I went off to Hogwarts this morning and explained that me and Ginny were getting a divorce and why. Neither of them is particularly happy about the divorce, but they seem to understand why it has to happen. Since the article is coming out tomorrow, they had to know. I wasn’t going to let them find out something like this from a newspaper.”

 

Draco nodded, understanding where Harry was coming from completely. He had taken a trip to Hogwarts at the start of the week to speak to Scorpius when it became clear to him that he was going to be exposed in the papers no matter what he did. Thankfully, it looked like Scorpius had actually been waiting for something like this to happen, although Draco got the distinct feeling that he had thought it would be his Mother rather than him who found someone else.

 

“Scorpius knows as well.”

 

It looked like Harry was about to reply, but he was interrupted by Lily grabbing his hand and dragging him through the doorway to the kitchen. He stumbled a little, but regained his feet just in time for her to spin around and smile wide at the two of them. The stunned look on Harry’s face told Draco that he had not expected the sight that greeted them. Lily had spread a red and white chequered tablecloth over the end of the long wooden table and set three places at it. Her place was obviously by itself on one side while the two bigger settings were next to each other on the opposite side.

 

“Dad says it’s too late and too cold to have a proper picnic, so now we can have one inside instead.” There was a devious glint to her eyes that had Draco struggling to smother a laugh. “He’s cooked picnic food and everything.”

 

Draco swallowed and took a deep breath to calm the laughter trying to bubble up inside him before glancing up to raise an eyebrow at Harry. “‘Picnic food’?”

 

“I hope you haven’t eaten yet, because apparently you’re eating here,” Harry mumbled with an apologetic glance his way. “We have sausages, fried eggs, chips and a lot of salad.”

 

“And a chocolate cake for dessert!”

 

Lily bounced on the spot, glancing between the two of them with a wide smile. Draco couldn’t help smiling back as he moved around the table to take his place.

 

“How could I turn down chocolate cake?”

 

He could have sworn that he heard Harry mutter something that sounded very much like ‘don’t say I didn’t warn you’ as he sat down, but he ignored it. Lily was a child, just as Scorpius was, so she couldn’t be that different, right? Looking back on that moment later on that night, he wondered how he could have been so very wrong.

 

“I’ve seen you in the papers before,” Lily informed him as she sat down at the bench and smoothed out her dress. “According to the _Prophet_ you run the best private brewing business in London.”

 

The memory of Harry warning him he would be pelted with potions questions surfaced just as Harry snorted a laugh. “A gentleman never brags,” he prevaricated with a glare for Harry, who had moved over to the stove to keep an eye on the food. “I don’t actually bother reading the _Prophet_ all that much anymore.”

 

“I read the potions pages when Dad throws them away. He only really reads the sports section, just like Uncle Ron.” She made a face indicating what she thought of that before continuing. “Aunt Hermione said that if I want to read about my Potions classes next year, then I can have some of Rose’s Potions books because Hugo won’t need them until the year after me. Aunt Hermione was quite good at Potions in school, did you know that?”

 

Draco just barely prevented himself from rolling his eyes as Harry snorted again. “I recall her being quite good, yes.”

 

“Were you in the same year as Dad then? He was in Professor Slughorn’s Slug Club in sixth year with Mum and Aunt Hermione. That means they were _really_ good. I think it’s a real shame he retired before I could get in too. I met him last year, you know.”

 

Feeling slightly stunned by the rush of words, Draco glanced over to see Harry chuckling silently with his hand covering the bottom half of his face. “That must have been exciting.”

 

“It was! He says I have a natural talent for Potions and that I would have been the top of his class if he was still teaching. He retired just after the War ended, though.” She was interrupted by Harry placing a plateful of food in front of her.

 

“How about we give Draco a bit of a break, Lil?”

 

Despite those words, Draco spent almost the entire meal answering Lily’s questions about what it was like to run his own potion brewing business, whether it was worth the effort or whether she should try for a Professorship instead. By the time they had each polished off a slice of rich chocolate cake for dessert, Draco was beginning to wish that he had taken Harry’s advice and brought something to bribe her with. He was silently grateful when nine o’clock rolled around and Harry announced in a loud voice that it was her bedtime. By that time they had moved upstairs into the parlour, which meant that Draco got to relax on one of the comfy lounges while Harry put Lily to bed upstairs. Warm, tired and full of good food, he fell into a bit of a stupor as he sat watching the flickering flames of the fire. He didn’t come out of it until he heard Harry’s footsteps crossing the room towards him.

 

“Sorry about that. She’s a bit of a handful when she really gets going like that.”

 

Draco smiled as Harry moved to sit on the opposite end of his lounge. “I seem to remember a certain Aunt of hers being the same.”

 

“Oh, believe me, Hermione had nothing on Lily. It’s unfortunate sometimes, but she seems to have inherited the Weasley energy as well as Ginny’s brains.” Harry offered up an apologetic smile as he settled more completely into the lounge. “It’s an energy that I’m afraid I don’t share.”

 

Draco grinned as Harry raised his feet to rest on his lap. “After a meal that size, there was never going to be a chance of you getting laid tonight anyway.”

 

Warmth spread through him as Harry chuckled. Removing Harry’s socks, Draco rubbed his thumbs across the balls of Harry’s feet, offering a different kind of pleasure instead. Settling down into the lounge properly again, he allowed his mind to wander as he worked Harry’s feet. It had been so long since he had let himself feel this comfortable with another man that it was slightly surprising to him that it came this easily. However, no matter how surprising this was to him, he was determined to enjoy it while it lasted. Everything was going to change the next day anyway.


	18. Chapter 18

_THE POTTER/MALFOY AFFAIR IN FULL! We have the only exclusive double account of the breakup of The Saviour’s marriage and the men who caused it!_

 

Harry rolled his eyes and threw the _Prophet_ back onto the table in front of him. True, they might have had the only exclusive account of what had happened between he and Ginny, but that hadn’t stopped them from sensationalising every tiny detail. He had read through the entire thing the day before when it had come out and, while Yasmine had kept her promise and printed their accounts exactly as they had provided them, she had also added in ‘exclusive extras’. There were quotes from ‘anonymous sources’, a pictorial of his and Draco’s interactions over the years since the War ended, another of Ginny’s interactions with various men over the years and an account of what they called ‘mounting speculation’ over which of the kids were actually Harry’s. It was that last that had struck home the hardest for Harry. He had no real doubt over James and Albus, mostly because they had physical features of his. It was Lily that terrified him. With her red hair and brown eyes, she was the spitting image of Ginny, with the only real trait of Harry’s being her tendency for bluntness and sarcasm. Shaking his head to clear it, he moved onto the next newspaper.

 

_CHEATING, LIES AND SCANDAL! How Harry Potter destroyed his own marriage!_

 

He scoffed at this one and tossed it towards the fireplace. It was a headline from a slightly more obscure local paper that was circulated in only a small area. Hermione had gathered as many papers as possible and sent them to him in a bundle the day before after they had come out so he knew what to expect.

_WHAT ELSE HAVE THEY BEEN HIDING? Our exclusive on the Potter/Weasley extramarital affairs!_

 

He read the first two sentences of this article before deciding that they had used the headline as a way to entice people to buy the issue and threw it to join the others in his fireplace. It appeared to hold none of the information that he had provided the _Prophet_ so, therefore, it was useless. At least he would have no need for kindling for a while.

 

Glancing out the dark window into the street, he had to shake his head at himself. He didn’t think he knew anyone who would willingly get up at 5 in the morning so they could go through newspaper articles about themselves that they knew would only tell them that the entire world didn’t believe them. Sitting back into the lounge chair in front of his warm fire, he sighed. Yesterday had been difficult, but not impossible. He had arrived at work to be confronted by three Howlers, two of which had exploded before he could open them, spewing their hatred of him for all to hear. It had been after this that the security department had managed to place charms around the Auror Department that prevented Howlers from being delivered there. They were to be collected in the mailroom so he could go down there at the end of the day and let them all loose. Most Howlers did not explode until they came into close proximity of their recipient, so the people who worked in the mailroom would be safe from them until he got down there.

 

His receptionist had been acting icy towards him the entire day, as had the lunch ladies and many of the people he had seen in the hallways. None of them had confronted him directly yet, though, which he was thankful for. In all honestly, he had been expecting a confrontation with _someone_ , but it simply hadn’t happened. Not at work, at least. His hands clenched at the thought and he couldn’t help wishing that he had kept at least some of the Firewhisky that he had dumped down the drain that first weekend at the house.

 

He sighed again. He had never had a problem with confronting people, with facing things head on. Today was going to be different to anything else he had faced with that kind of attitude, though. Today was the day that he would confront Ginny. She had sent him a letter the day before, asking him to bring Lily to The Burrow, then to continue on to the house they had shared with the kids. He knew that she would have been shocked by what the _Prophet_ had printed, especially since it seemed to him that Yasmine had not said a word to her about having Harry’s account. The letter, however, had been surprisingly civil. It had not been a Howler, had not included any recriminations and had held no jinxes or curses. The only things Ginny had written, in fact, had been the instructions to drop Lily off where she would be safe and to meet her at their old house. Nothing else had been included, which Harry found a little suspicious, but he was going to go into this with an open mind. If Ginny was willing to be civil, then all the better. If she wanted a screaming match, however, he was probably at the point where he could also provide that as well.

 

He had examined his feelings for her and come to the conclusion that what he had felt for her over the years had been closer to a possessive friendship than real, _actual_ love. What he felt for Hermione was close to what he had felt for Ginny, without the sense of her being _his_. Ginny had, for years, been his and his only – at least in his mind. When he had compared those feelings to what he was feeling for Draco these days, it was like comparing polar opposites. He knew he was experiencing real, _true_ sexual desire for the first time in years and it was a little overwhelming at times. The pull to touch him, to be near him, to taste him had astounded Harry the first time he had felt it and it was something he had come to crave. The kind of tension between the two of them these days was a good tension and was something Harry thought he had only vaguely experienced once with Ginny. If that.

 

Of course, the sex was _brilliant_ these days in comparison as well. He smiled as he stretched, enjoying the ache in his arse and thighs. He didn’t ever remember fantasising about being in the kinds of positions he now regularly got into for Draco, but he rarely fantasised about anything else these days. The nights he and Draco didn’t see each other generally found Harry either lying on his bed or in the shower, wanking to the memory of the last time they had been together. Stretching his arms along the back of the lounge, he closed his eyes and relaxed, wondering if it would be wrong of him to indulge himself while Draco was asleep upstairs in his bed. It would certainly put him in a much better frame of mind before meeting with Ginny later on.

 

“I thought you didn’t generally get up until well after seven on a weekend.”

 

There was humour in Draco’s voice, but probably not for the same reason a wide smile spread across Harry’s face. Attempting to push aside the dirty thoughts Draco’s words had brought to the forefront of his mind, he turned to meet Draco’s eyes. Desire shot through him when he got a look at him as he moved into the firelight: seeing him rumpled from both sleep and sex was a much bigger turn-on than seeing him all neat and tidy. Harry stood to draw him into a kiss as he moved closer.

 

“Lily definitely won’t be awake for hours,” Harry whispered as Draco wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him closer. He very deliberately pressed his hardening cock into Draco’s hip as he took another step, enjoying the flash of lust through his grey eyes. “Why are you up?”

 

Draco eyed him for a few seconds, his breathing becoming obviously controlled, which caused Harry to grin. “I keep odd hours because certain ingredients required for my work can only be picked during the night.” He paused to grab Harry’s arse and pull him flush up against his chest, putting a pressure on Harry’s erection that sent his head spinning for a few seconds. “You didn’t answer me.”

 

Adjusting his position slightly to the side caused Harry’s cock to slide against Draco’s through the pyjama bottoms they both still wore and Draco’s breathing to hitch a little. Keeping eye contact, Harry moved his hands so he could brush along Draco’s prominent cheekbones with his thumbs.

 

“You didn’t ask.”

 

“Are you really going to quibble over trivialities, Potter?”

 

Before Harry could even think about responding, his mouth was assaulted, with Draco’s tongue demanding entrance. He opened with a hum of appreciation, finally giving in to the desire now raging through him. His hands roamed restlessly, travelling from Draco’s shoulders, down his back and back up again before coming to rest with one tangled through his hair and the other in the middle of Draco’s back. He let out a whine that caused a small blush to begin on his cheeks when Draco broke the kiss.

 

“Well?”

 

His mind crowded with enough lust to wipe everything else from his mind, Harry growled and thrust his hips, shuddering as the friction sent an electric jolt of pleasure through him. “I’m _up_ because you are too fucking sexy for my mental health. Now are you going to fuck me, or am I going to have a wank in the shower?”

 

Harry blamed Draco being able to easily trip him up so he could lay him down on the hearthrug beneath them on the fact that he was so turned on he was having trouble even breathing. Being lowered slowly to the floor with Draco gripping his waist and shoulders tightly was an experience Harry had never thought he would have, but it was oddly nice. He nearly snorted as he realised that he had just thought of the man about to fuck him senseless as ‘nice’ as Draco lay down on top of him.

 

“Have you always been this foul-mouthed when you’re turned on?”

 

“Don’t know; it’s been too long to remember anyone other than you.”

 

The whispered words seemed to have some kind of effect on Draco that Harry had not intended, as he closed his eyes and took a shaky breath before continuing. These little interludes had become more and more frequent over the weeks they had been together; when Draco would pause in whatever they were doing and seem to compose himself before continuing. It was endearing to Harry to know that he could have that kind of effect on someone as experienced as Draco, but it also prompted questions he was unsure if he was ready to ask. The most prominent one, of course, was what did those small reactions mean about Draco’s feelings towards him? Was it too early for Harry to be questioning whether Draco loved him? He had admitted to ‘wanting’ him since their fifth year at Hogwarts, so what if those emotions never left? What if starting this had just enhanced whatever crush Draco had been harbouring on Harry and he had fallen for him? And, in that case, did Harry love him back? The questions were cleared from his mind when Draco let out a frustrated grunt and Vanished their pyjama bottoms, giving him access to Harry’s now-throbbing cock. Draco hooked his arms around Harry’s thighs and raised them so he could settle against his body.

 

“Draco?” Harry’s voice was breathless with the combination of desire and the pressure of having Draco’s weight on top of him. “What–”

 

His words were cut off when Draco muttered the charms and pressed forward. It wasn’t anywhere near as violent as their first times had been, with Draco thrusting in harshly and only just giving Harry enough time to adjust to him, but Harry found himself reacting in a similar fashion. He bit down on his bottom lip and held his breath as he was breached, enjoying the sensation of being filled. When Draco came to rest against his body, he opened his eyes to see that he was being watched with a level of desire he had never experienced before. It sent a wave of responding desire through him strong enough that he reached up to pull Draco down into a harsh kiss in order to satisfy some of the desperate need that accompanied the feeling.

 

“Harry,” Draco gasped a few seconds later as the arms he was supporting himself on began to tremble.

 

“Move.”

 

Draco complied immediately, drawing out and thrusting back in swiftly. This time was a little more frantic than Harry was used to, but he found it enhanced the sensations in a completely different way. Draco’s obvious need of him in that moment was sending Harry closer to the edge of orgasm than he knew he should be at that point and he began moving his hands all over him in an attempt to help him along faster as well. It had been easy for Draco to discover Harry’s hotspots early on in their relationship, but it had taken a bit longer for Harry, as they hadn’t been face-to-face during sex until quite recently. Trailing his fingers lightly over the very top of Draco’s right thigh tended to cause him to groan, but that move was rather impractical when he was moving. The only other way Harry had discovered to cause a reaction of that kind was to bite down on his collarbone – also impractical at that moment. Instead, he reached down and began exploring the sensitive skin around Draco’s bollocks, which were tight and heavy, telling Harry that he wouldn’t have to do much. He worked one hand in between them so he could stroke himself and sent the other down to press against Draco’s perineum. It caused Draco to lose his rhythm and swear profusely.

 

“ _Christ_... Keep doing that... and you’ll be... finishing yourself off...”

 

Harry grinned in response and pressed again. The deep groan Draco let out as one of his arms seemed to give way, half-dropping him onto Harry’s chest, was all the encouragement he needed. He waited a few seconds until Draco seemed to get some of the lost tempo back before pressing down again. Draco stilled on top of him this time, his eyes squeezed shut tight.

 

“Harry...”

 

“Come for me, Draco.”

 

Harry squeezed his muscles and pressed again, this time adding a bit more pressure. Draco let out a small whimper before thrusting in raggedly a few more times. He bit down on Harry’s shoulder as he came, his hips thrusting in small jerks as he emptied himself into Harry. His hand still working frantically, Harry managed to bring himself to orgasm a few seconds after Draco, his hand stroking until he had nothing left to give. The second he removed his hand from between them, Draco collapsed down on top of him, panting heavily. Harry lowered his legs and wrapped his arms around Draco’s shoulders and back, instinctively holding him as he caught his breath.

 

“ _That_ is why I was up, Draco,” Harry murmured into Draco’s ear and found that, while small, the puff of a laugh he received in response was more than worth it.


	19. Chapter 19

“Ready to go?”

 

Harry smiled as Lily entered the living room of Grimmauld, dragging a backpack behind her. Draco had left before she had woken, as he had the few previous times when he had stayed over while she had been there. It seemed the safest and easiest way of doing things for the time being, despite the fact that it meant that if he didn’t wake Harry up, then he was waking up by himself. Considering the words he had had with Molly when he had picked Lily up at the start of that week, they had both deemed it necessary to tread carefully when it came to allowing Lily to see Draco in the mornings. Despite him not liking the idea, Molly had been right about one thing that day: Lily shouldn’t have to be subjected to seeing Harry moving on so soon; at least, not in that way.

 

“Yeah.”

 

Looking her over properly when it sounded like she was preparing to go to the gallows rather than The Burrow, Harry took in the downcast eyes, slumped shoulders and slow footsteps. His usually bright and happy daughter seemed incredibly reluctant to be going anywhere, let alone a place she normally loved. Kneeling down so he could meet her on her level, he placed his hands on her shoulders to stop her from moving. She raised her head to look him in the eyes and the worry he saw there sent chills through him. He opened his mouth to find out what was wrong, but Lily beat him to it.

 

“Dad?”

 

“What’s wrong, Lil?”

 

“Why can’t I go with you to see Mum?”

 

A slight sense of relief rushed through him that it seemed to be nothing really serious and he smiled up at her. He had been expecting some kind of question like this from Lily, but much sooner. Both the boys had peppered him with questions the day he had gone to see them, but Lily hadn’t. He had figured that she was just getting used to the idea and that she would open up again soon. She had been the first of their children to know that they were getting a divorce and she had seemed to know what that meant, but Harry had suspected that there were questions she had but hadn’t yet voiced. While she was an intelligent girl, she was still only ten years old, after all.

 

“Come sit on the lounge, Lily.” Harry found himself thankful that there had been no specified time for him to drop Lily off at The Burrow, or for him to meet Ginny, considering he had no idea how long it would take to explain this. “You know what it means that your Mum and I are getting divorced?”

 

“That you don’t want to be together anymore. I’m not a moron, Dad.”

 

She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms across her chest, her grumpy look completely contradicting her floral-themed shirt. Allowing himself to become distracted while Lily seemed to gather her thoughts, Harry had to wonder exactly how it was that she had turned out as girly as she was. Ginny had never been the flowers-and-ponies type of girl and Harry had certainly not purposefully pushed any kind of what was traditionally thought of as ‘girly things’ onto Lily, but most of her wardrobe consisted of floral patterns, lace and more pastels than Harry thought she could ever wear. He had to smother a wide smile as he watched her: however strange it may have been, it was a nice change from the two rough-and-tumble boys they had raised. He was jerked out of his thoughts when she began speaking again.

 

“I get that you don’t want to be with Mum and that you want to be with...”

 

She paused, looking to him cautiously before saying Draco’s name. She had not yet been allowed to call an adult she had just met by their first name and Harry knew how strange it must be. He smiled as she frowned in obvious confusion.

 

“Draco,” he supplied so she would continue with what she was saying. “He gave you permission to use his first name.”

 

“... _Draco_.” Lily sat back into the lounge, looking at him out of the corner of her eye as though waiting to be punished for doing something bad. When all Harry did was smile, she continued. “I know that that means that you like boys instead of girls, so you and Mum can’t stay married. What I don’t get is why she had to leave me.”

 

Shock stopped any response Harry had been going to make, freezing him almost completely. Ginny had worked away Lily’s entire life, so why would she assume that their getting divorced would mean that she was not coming back? Shaking his head slowly as no answer came to him, Harry turned his focus back on his daughter.

 

“Why would you think she would ever want to leave you, Lil?”

 

“You two had a big fight, then Mum took me to Grandma’s house and didn’t come back!” Her voice was rising with each word, making her sound more and more hysterical by the second. “Then you came to get me and Mum still didn’t come back for me and...” Lily flung herself into Harry’s arms as she began to cry, her shoulders heaving with each breath. “She doesn’t want me anymore!”

 

Harry wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his lap as she cried. It felt almost as though something was trying to rip his heart out of his chest as he listened to his little girl crying brokenly in his arms. There had only been a few times in his life when he had been hit by such a wave of despair and they had all involved his children: James had fallen off the roof of their house when he was younger and Al had crashed into the shed of The Burrow on his kiddie broom, slicing his head open on a rusty nail. Both times had involved Harry racing them to the Emergency Department of St. Mungo’s, but this was different. Lily was not as reckless as the boys – despite her fondness for beating Hugo in races on her own kiddie broom – so she hadn’t been in the Emergency Room at all expect for the times she had visited her brothers or Harry himself. No, these tears were completely different and tugged at Harry’s heart in a different way. He knew that without Ginny there to reassure her, there was basically nothing he could do to comfort Lily and that was what hurt the most.

 

His mind raced, trying to come up with a way to reassure her that her mother still wanted her without Ginny physically being there. Unfortunately, he drew a blank, so all he could really do was stroke her hair and allow her to cry herself out. He tried murmuring reassurances into her ear, but they seemed to have no real effect on the volume of her sobs, so he soon gave up on that avenue. By the time she began to calm down a little, he had come to a decision. Yes, he would take her to The Burrow, but he would explain what had happened to either Molly or Arthur – whichever one of them was willing to hear him out – and then he would take Lily straight to Ginny so she could reassure her in person. He had absolutely no idea what he would do if the worst happened and Lily’s fears came true, but figured he would cross that bridge when he came to it. For the time being, he just had to hope to hell that Ginny would never be that heartless.

 

*~*

 

“Harry Potter, Dad? _Really_?”

 

Draco turned from where he had been staring mindlessly out the window of the Headmaster’s Office in Hogwarts to see Scorpius standing just inside the room, one pale blond eyebrow raised in question. He smiled as he moved over to one of the two chairs in front of the Headmaster’s desk and patted the other, indicating that Scorpius should sit beside him. He had decided to come and see him on the Saturday after the _Prophet_ article came out so he wasn’t interrupting any of his son’s classes. Despite the disbelieving tone to Scorpius’ voice, Draco could make out a tiny glint to his eyes that may have been approval as he walked over to take the other chair.

 

“You couldn’t have chosen someone more famous?” Scorpius continued as he sat down, the disbelief turning to sarcasm in the matter of a few seconds. “I mean, really, if you’re going to put on this much fuss, it should be someone worth it.”

 

“You are entirely too much like your Mother at times.” Draco returned his son’s wide smile before getting down to the real reason he had called him away from his friends. “How are things, Scorp?”

 

Scorpius sighed, throwing himself back into the chair so that it creaked dangerously. Draco took the time while Scorpius was composing his answer to really look him over. Despite the fact that he had inherited a lot of his Mother’s personality traits, Scorpius looked almost like a miniature version of Draco: his white-blond hair, grey-blue eyes and high cheekbones were almost the exact same as Draco had had when he was that age. Scorpius didn’t have the same supercilious look as Draco had had at that age and he put that down to Astoria’s influence. She had refused to raise him the same way Lucius and Narcissa had raised Draco, raising him instead to be the kind of boy Draco _should_ have been. Despite the fuss that had been made about the article, Scorpius looked none the worse for wear, really. Maybe a little tired, but that could be put down to the fact that he was in his first year at Hogwarts and had yet to really properly adjust to the schedule. He refocussed when Scorpius turned to face him.

 

“Nearly everyone gets the _Prophet_ here over breakfast, you know.” Draco nodded, but stayed silent. “That means that the news was all over the school by the end of breakfast.”

 

“I’m sorry–” Draco blinked when Scorpius held a hand up to silence him.

 

“No, don’t apologise. I know that the _Prophet_ wouldn’t have let this go until they had the full story and that all the others just copy them. I also knew that something like this was going to happen eventually. I wasn’t expecting Harry Potter, but I was expecting _someone_ to come along eventually.” Scorpius paused, looking at Draco with searching eyes. “Does this mean that we’ll be seeing James and Albus outside of Hogwarts?”

 

Draco huffed out a slightly disbelieving laugh. “ _That_ is all you want to ask?”

 

“What else am I supposed to ask?” Scorpius gave him a look that said that he thought him slightly crazy.

 

“I don’t know, Scorp, I’ve never done this before. I–” Draco sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I thought you’d be upset about how quickly this happened, or that you didn’t get more warning, or...”

 

“Dad, stop!” Scorpius stood up and stared down at Draco with his arms crossed in front of him. “I’ve known that you and Mum aren’t properly married for as long as I can remember. I’ve also known that you are gay since I was old enough to understand what that meant. And to be honest, I don’t really know either Albus or James Potter, so it’s not like it’d be weird or anything; we tend to avoid each other. So yeah, what I want to know is will we be seeing them? Is this going to last long enough that I have to get used to seeing two guys from school around the house at Christmas and other holidays?”

 

Draco stared up at him in complete disbelief for a few seconds. If this was honestly the only pressing question Scorpius had, then he would think himself incredibly lucky. His only problem now was how to answer.

 

“I honestly can’t say how long this will last, Scorp.”

 

Scorpius eyed him for a few seconds, his eyes narrowing. “But you want it to.”

 

“Yes, I do,” he admitted with a small smile. “The way things are going, I’d say to consider it a done deal that Harry will be around for Christmas, which means that all three of his children will be as well.”

 

“Alright.” Scorpius nodded slowly as he uncrossed his arms and moved back to sit beside Draco. He seemed to consider things for a while before speaking again. “Alright. I want you to be happy, Dad, and if this is what you want, then go for it. Don’t worry about me: I’ll be able to deal with whatever anyone else wants to say about any of us. The newspapers can’t get in here, so it’s really not so bad.”

 

Shaking his head as he stared at his son, Draco wondered how he and Astoria had managed to raise such a mature, balanced and normal child. Scorpius was what Astoria’s mother called an ‘old soul’ and it was times like this that that part of his personality really showed through. Draco’s own upbringing in the Manor had been far from what was seen to be normal, so he figured Scorpius’ normality must come down to Astoria’s influence. He offered up a smile as a sense of gratitude washed through him that Scorpius had been so understanding.

 

“Thank you, Scorp; you have no idea how much it means to me that you approve of this. Although, I should probably tell you, if it had really come down to it, _you_ are my main priority here.” _No matter how much it would have hurt._

 

Draco said goodbye to Scorpius and was about to floo out of the castle when he caught himself about to give Harry’s address. He stood in front of the fire for a few seconds, his brow creased in a combination of worry and confusion. He had good news about Scorpius and that usually led to him going straight to wherever Astoria was and telling her, but this time it had caused him to think of Harry instead. Sighing as his stomach flipped, he gave his own address instead, intending fully to spend the rest of the day engrossed in something complicated enough to take his full concentration.

 

*~*

 

Nerves washed through Harry’s stomach as he and Lily arrived just outside the wards of The Burrow. He had sent word ahead that they were arriving, but he had received no response, so all he could really do was hope that they knew. He hadn’t mentioned what had happened with Lily, because he thought it best to explain in person. Something like this was better said in person, just as the words he was planning on having with Ginny were also best said in person. That way the person on the receiving end had very little chance to ignore him.

 

“Harry.”

 

“Grandad!” Lily let go of Harry’s hand and ran up to Arthur, who had knelt down so he could scoop her up easily. “Dad says I get to see Mum today!”

 

Harry shot Arthur what he hoped was an apologetic look behind Lily’s back. He knew he should have figured that she would give his plan away before he could say anything to either Arthur or Molly.

 

“How about you go find your Grandmother, so I can talk to your Dad?”

 

Harry watched as Lily trotted obediently inside. Taking a steadying breath, he turned to face Arthur. “I’m sorry.”

 

Arthur blinked at him a few times before indicating the seats behind him. “Have a seat, Harry.”

 

Obeying the words just as his daughter had done a few seconds before, Harry moved to take one of the seats. He perched on the very edge, his right knee jiggling uncontrollably up and down with the rush of nerves through his system.

 

“Well, this is quite the mess we’ve found ourselves in, isn’t it?”

 

Harry huffed out a disbelieving laugh. “That’s a bit of an understatement.” He tentatively returned the small smile Arthur offered up before continuing. “I really am sorry that this blew up the way it did. And that I couldn’t speak to you before that article came out. I also need to tell you that Lily really wants to see Ginny today. She’s been a bit upset recently that she hasn’t been by to collect her, so I figured the best way to remedy that was to take her with me today. Even if Ginny needs to go back out on assignment, then she can at least reassure Lily that she will be back eventually.”

 

Arthur nodded slowly. “That’s fine.” Harry watched him for a few seconds, wondering why he was sitting here actually speaking to him rather than at least giving him the cold shoulder, but before he could ask, Arthur spoke again. “You understand that because Ginny is my daughter...”

 

“You have to stand by her. I know.” Harry’s insides felt as though they had suddenly turned to ice and he found he had to swallow back the bitterness that threatened to come out in his voice. “I was hoping that one day, maybe...” He trailed off, his chest aching too much to continue.

 

“Give it a little time and everything will balance itself out.” The confidence in Arthur’s voice surprised Harry, but he still didn’t dare to meet his eyes.  “Yes, I would have preferred to have had a little warning, but considering how volatile things have been around here, I know that that wasn’t exactly possible. Just give it time, Harry. Molly has a hot temper when one of her children has been hurt, but she does come around eventually.”

 

Harry hung his head so his chin almost touched his chest. He still had no idea why Arthur seemed to be speaking to him normally, if a little more formally than usual, but at this point he really didn’t care why. The mere fact that there was a Weasley other than Percy willing to speak to him was enough for now.

 

“I wasn’t expecting you to choose between us.” His head snapped up when Arthur’s hand came to rest on his shoulder, squeezing gently.

 

There was nothing else to the gesture, just simple reassurance. He stood and walked back into the house in another few seconds. The tiny spark of hope that Harry seemed to carry with him permanently had felt as though it had been extinguished when Arthur had told him he had to stand with Ginny, but it had flared again with his last words. Maybe if Arthur believed things would return to something even vaguely resembling normal, then he might actually have the right to be holding onto that hope. He took a deep breath to compose himself when Lily ran out of the house again.

 

“Grandad says we can go to see Mum now.”

 

Harry was smiling when they landed in the hallway of the house they had shared as a family for so long. The scent of the house brought back so many good memories that Harry’s chest ached, but he suppressed them in order to focus on what was before him. Ginny appeared in the doorway of the living room a few seconds later, her arms crossed in front of her. Her stance loosened the second she saw that he had Lily with him, though, and she knelt down to scoop her into a tight hug as she ran to her. Harry found himself sighing quietly in relief as Lily clung closely to Ginny. It seemed that Lily’s fears had been unfounded and Harry couldn’t have been happier about that part of this meeting, at least.

 

“Is it alright if I have a word to your Dad alone, Lil?”

 

Harry could hear the strain in Ginny’s voice and had to resist clenching his jaw in response. He knew that whatever she had had planned for him would have gone flying out the door the second she saw Lily was with him, but he also knew that he wasn’t going to get out of this that easily. It was inevitable that they would have some kind of fight over who had been right in this situation and who had been wrong and today was the best day for that fight. All they had to do was get Lily as far away from them as they could manage so she couldn’t hear what they were about to say.

 

“How about you go upstairs and collect all the clothes and things you think you’ll need so we can take them back to Grimmauld with us?”

 

Harry bit down on his tongue to keep himself from smiling at the glare Ginny shot him, but his words seemed to work. Lily slid down out of Ginny’s arms and offered him a sightly watery smile before moving off up the stairs to her bedroom.

 

“Nice ploy, bringing her with you.” Ginny shot him another glare before turning and stalking back into the living room. Harry found her on the lounge in front of the fire. “Using your own daughter as a shield is a bit low, Harry.”

 

“She thought you had abandoned her!” He had meant to keep a hold of his temper, but the scorn in her voice had scraped along what felt like very raw nerves. “I spent nearly half an hour calming her down this morning because she was absolutely convinced that you had abandoned her; that you didn’t love her at all.”

 

He stomped into the room and moved to stand directly in front of her, blocking out what warmth she was getting from the fire. The look of disbelief in her eyes caused him to clench his hands by his sides. He had no idea how she managed it, but she could have him on the verge of completely losing control with a mere look and that knowledge only seemed to piss him off even more.

 

“Bullshit. Why would I abandon my own child?”

 

“I don’t know,” Harry responded with heavy sarcasm. “Maybe for the same reason you tried to convince the boys that my being with Draco meant that I wouldn’t see them as often? Or maybe it was for the same reason that you gave Yasmine a completely false account of what had happened between us?”

 

Ginny stood slowly and advanced on him, fire flashing through her eyes. “And what reason would that be?”

 

“You are a _bitch_ –”

 

His words were cut off when her hand connected with his cheek, sending pain blossoming through the entire left side of his head. Taking a step back to put some distance between them, Harry blinked the tears out of his eyes that had automatically sprung up in response to the pain. Gingerly raising a hand, he felt along his jaw and cheekbone, thankful that it had been an open-handed slap rather than a straight-up right hook.

 

“If you _ever_ speak to me like that again...”

 

“You’ll what? Try to take away my family and spread vicious rumours about my character?” He raised his glasses to wipe away some of the tears that were still running in an attempt to wash his eyelashes out of his eye, apparently. “It’s a bit late for that threat.”

 

“You humiliated me, Harry.” He dropped his glasses back onto his nose and blinked at her in complete shock. “The _Prophet_ printed both versions of what happened and now I look a complete fool. How long do you think it’ll take before the rest of the papers start to print yours as well?”

 

Harry opened and closed his mouth a few times, but the shock had apparently rendered him temporarily mute. It was Ginny rolling her eyes and turning so she wasn’t even looking at him that broke him out of it.

 

“You... you...” He stopped when all it seemed he could do was stutter at her and took a deep breath. “You expect me to be considerate of your _feelings_ when all you did was lie? You lied to your boss, you lied to our children, and you lied to your parents and all our friends. Hell, the only person you _didn’t_ lie to was me. Was the only reason you didn’t try to convince me I was wrong because you knew I wouldn’t believe you? You not only outed me in the most public way you could find, but you also outed Draco, so why should I care if you look foolish in the press?”

 

“Please,” she scoffed, turning back to him with scorn written clearly on her face. “I was subtle about what I was doing with the men I was with and if you hadn’t slept with _Draco_ , then you wouldn’t have been any the wiser.”

 

“How does that justify what you did? You can’t just say that it all would have been fine if I’d continued to be stupid enough to swallow everything you were feeding me. If you were that unhappy, then you should have said something. Cheating for as long as you did is never justified.”

 

“Oh, so it is for the length of time you cheated on me for?”

 

Harry sighed and scrubbed his hand against his eyes again. They were going to start going in circles blaming each other for everything that had happened, he was sure of it. Unfortunately, he couldn’t see an easy way to solve this themselves. No matter how civil he intended to be when he arrived, he was fairly certain that Ginny’s attitude and refusal to take any of the blame for their crumbled marriage would soon bring out the snarky sarcasm in him that he knew would set her off faster than anything else he could say. What they needed was an intermediary: someone who knew how to keep control of the situation without allowing either one of them too much leeway.

 

“I’m getting a lawyer, Ginny. We’ll each take what we brought into the marriage and keep whatever we made during: that’s the fairest way. What I need to know is whether you want custody of the kids.” If he could manage to get out of this house with his sanity intact and without a restraining order or without being thrown into prison for murder, then he would be happy. If that meant sorting through things in the most direct way possible, then so be it. “I also have to ask...”

 

“What?” The word was snapped at him when he paused to try to calm the sudden rush of fear that gripped him.

 

“Are they all mine?”

 

Ginny was silent for much longer than Harry was comfortable with. He could see something building inside her, but couldn’t tell what emotion it was. He had no idea whether to be thankful when it took less than thirty seconds for him to discover exactly what it was.

 

“You fucking _bastard_ ,” Ginny snarled at him, her eyes flashing. “How dare you suggest that they aren’t your children?”

 

“How? Quite easily. Maybe it’s because their mother has been cheating on me for longer than any of them have been alive?” Harry was slightly surprised that even at a time like this, it was damn near impossible for him to prevent the sarcasm from showing through in his voice.

 

She sighed and turned away from him, but he could still hear her clearly when she responded. “I got pregnant with James thirteen years ago. It was during one of the periods when I didn’t have any other lovers. I was too busy caring for James to take anyone else as a lover in the months after his birth in January and then I got pregnant with Albus on your birthday. He was born in the May of the next year. By then I had gotten sick of being used as a baby carrier and had put restrictions on when you could touch me. Lily was conceived that Christmas. As you know, the family is always around on Christmas, so there’s no way anyone other than you could be her father. Despite what you might think of me, I was always careful to use protection with anyone else I was with.”

 

Harry felt a shot of guilt when the first thought to drift through his mind was that she hadn’t said that she had had no other lovers between Al’s birth and Lily’s conception. It was soon overshadowed, however, by relief so strong that he sunk down onto one of the lounge chairs by the fire, covering his face with his hands. He had known that the idea that his kids might not be his own had been putting a lot of pressure on him, especially considering he had been Lily’s primary carer recently, but the relief he currently felt was making him a little lightheaded. The pressure in his chest lifted, his shoulders began to relax and he could breathe properly for the first time in weeks.

 

What really surprised him, however, was that when his mind cleared, his only thought was of Draco. He had good news and the only person he wanted to share it with was Draco. A rush of unbelievably strong happiness raced through him, causing him to want to laugh. For the first time in his life he had someone he actually _wanted_ to share good news with, someone who would most likely be happy for him rather than scornful. His kids were his own and he was with someone who could manage to counter the worst of what Ginny was trying to throw at him without even being there. He was smiling when he removed his hands from his face.

 

“Satisfied?”

 

Not even the scorn in Ginny’s voice could wipe the smile from his face and he turned it on her as he stood. Moving so he could place his hands on Ginny’s shoulders, he almost laughed again when she gave him a disgusted look.

 

“Yes. In fact, this may very well be the first time you have truly been able to properly satisfy me at all.” With that, he released her and made his way out to the bottom of the stairs again. “Lily can stay here with you for the weekend, right?”

 

“You–”

 

“Ginny,” Harry cut her off, using a reasonable tone that he knew would anger her further, but by this time all he wanted was to be away from her. “Your daughter needs you. You need to spend the weekend making sure that she knows that you love her as much as you say you do. I’ll just go up and say goodbye.”

 

Harry felt the ridiculous urge to run up the stairs, but restrained himself. Taking deep breaths that felt free for the first time in what felt like his entire life, he made his way into Lily’s room to explain that she would get to spend the weekend with her Mum.

 

“Really?” The happiness in that one word was worth the effort Harry had put in to piss Ginny off at him. He figured that if she was angry enough with him, then she would put in every effort to make certain that Lily enjoyed herself that weekend. “When do I come home to Grimmauld, then?”

 

Harry stood and blinked at his daughter. _Home_ , she had called Grimmauld home. He grinned wide again as he knelt down in front of her.

 

“Whenever you want to, Lil. Just send me a note with the owl and I’ll come pick you up.”

 

Lily ran up to him and flung her arms around his neck. Harry hugged her back just as hard, still grinning like an idiot.

 

“I love you, Dad.”

 

“Love you, too, Lil. I’ll see you soon, alright?”

 

“Alright.”

 

Harry’s thoughts drifted back to Draco and what they could do with the house to themselves for the entire weekend as he made his way down and out of the house. Not even the glare he received from Ginny dampened his good mood as he Apparated away from her.


	20. Chapter 20

Draco smiled as he stretched sore muscles. One arm fell over to his right, but encountered cold sheets rather than the warm body he was expecting. It wasn’t often that he awoke alone in Harry’s bed at Grimmauld, but by now he knew it meant one of two things: Harry was either cooking or showering. Since he couldn’t hear the shower, Draco had to figure it was the former and his stomach rumbled in expectation. It had surprised him that Harry could cook when he had first found out the day he had met Lily, but now he actually looked forward to it. Rolling out of bed, he dragged his pyjama bottoms back on, visited the bathroom and made his way slowly out into the hallway. The scent of eggs, bacon and toast filled his senses, but they weren’t coming from downstairs.

 

“Harry?”

 

“Drawing room.”

 

Draco turned in time to see red sparks shooting out of an open door at the end of the hall. He shook his head as he made his way down. Harry was the only person he had ever met who was still fascinated enough with being able to use magic to want to use it for such simple things. Where it would have annoyed the hell out of him when he was younger, he found himself smiling as he made his way into the room. _You’re finding Harry Potter endearing. Merlin save us all._

 

“Har – mph!”

 

Draco’s exclamation of surprise turned almost immediately to an appreciative hum as Harry accosted him. He almost lost his balance when Harry leant in so he could reach around to grab his arse, but was saved by hitting the wall behind him. Leaning backwards with Harry plastered to his front was definitely one of the best ways Draco had discovered to start the day, excluding sex, of course. Flicking his tongue out, he traced along the contours of Harry’s bottom lip. Desire flooded through him when Harry’s mouth opened at once; he tasted of bacon and that chamomile tea he loved so much and it caused Draco’s head to swim. Draco settled into the kiss properly when Harry didn’t back off, wrapping his arms around Harry’s waist to pull him closer. The warm body in his arms warded Draco from the slight chill in the air; not that he really noticed it, distracted as he was. He let out a satisfied sound when Harry broke the kiss, ending it by tracing his hands around the bare skin just above the waistband of Draco’s pyjamas and nipping lightly at the corner of his mouth. He found that the sharp jab of pain as Harry bit just that little bit too hard was the perfect balance to the soft feeling inside him, dragging him back to reality before he could lose himself too far.

 

“Good morning.”

 

Draco’s eyes opened slowly and he watched Harry walking away. Harry’s arse really was a thing of beauty: tight, firmly muscled and clad in form-fitting jeans, it invited Draco to grab two handfuls and never let go. Realising that a lot of the warmth that had flooded him over the past few minutes was actually desire, he smiled. Images of exactly what kind of good morning he would like to have flashed through his mind, most of them starring the perfect arse he was currently watching.

 

“Come over here once you’ve stopped perving, will you?”

 

There was humour to Harry’s voice that only increased the heat building in Draco’s stomach, but he attempted to suppress it for the time being. He knew that he really should learn to control these reactions he had to Harry, because it would eventually lead to a rather embarrassing situation at some point in the future. A sharp jab of lust hit him when Harry turned in the middle of the room and grinned at him. Giving up on trying to control himself, he figured he was quite happy just letting his libido lead him where it wanted for the time being. The fact that the only person it seemed to want was Harry helped, of course. Stepping away from the wall, Draco kept his eyes locked with Harry’s as he made his way over to him.

 

“Breakfast?”

 

Draco’s eyes followed the direction of Harry’s gaze to discover a plate of the eggs, bacon and toast under a warming charm waiting for him. Glancing between Harry and the plate, Draco knew that his appetite was going to win out over his libido this time and he grinned. It was a strange feeling, sitting down to breakfast with a man whom his younger self would have much preferred to hex. He joined Harry at a small table that had obviously been pilfered from another room, his thoughts wandering vaguely from how he had wound up in this position to just how good the food was to curiosity over what was written on the parchment Harry was reading.

 

Being free to study Harry at his leisure always caused Draco’s heart rate to rise and that morning was no different. Apparently he could even turn something as simple as watching Harry read into a prelude to sex, if the levels of desire rushing through him were anything to go by. A small crease formed in between Harry’s eyes as Draco watched him, causing Draco’s fingers to twitch with the effort he was exercising to not reach across the table and smooth the frown off Harry’s face. Thankfully, a derisive snort from across the table distracted him sufficiently enough that his fingers stopped twitching. Harry stood quickly and stomped over to the windows after pushing the parchment away from him with a disgusted noise.

 

“Read that.”

 

Draco raised an eyebrow at the demand, but reached across the table to silently draw the parchment to him. What he read sent a shiver of revulsion down his spine.

 

_There was a time when I encouraged both my children and then their children to look up to you. I even told them that you were the kind of man that everyone should hold as a role model, but not anymore. The way you have treated your wife and children is disgusting and you should suffer the full consequences of whatever the law can throw at you. The fact that you held the comfort and safety of your own family lower than your own sexual needs makes you one of the lowest forms of scum on this Earth. I honestly don’t see how anyone can trust you ever again. If you can lie this easily to your own wife and children, then how many other things have been lies? How many times have you lied to the public? Or to the Minister? I’ve seen celebrities come and go over the years, but none of them have fallen as far as I desperately hope that you fall in the wake of this display of who you truly are: a lying, cheating, worthless manipulator who deserves nothing less than to be publically humiliated and set down to the level you deserve. The fact that you chose a Death Eater as the one who..._

 

Draco gave up on the letter before he even got halfway through the page. He had had his own mail rerouted through his lawyers the day the article came out, so he had not been subjected to any of the bile that had been aimed at the both of them and he had thought Harry would have had the sense to do the same. Looking up from the parchment, he glanced over to where Harry stood by one of the floor to ceiling windows. Judging by the stiff set to his shoulders and the clenching of his hands, he must be holding back what would probably turn out to be a formidable explosion of anger. Draco stood and cautiously moved to stand just behind him, but didn’t dare to touch him, just in case.

 

“Harry?”

 

“That’s one of the worst that doesn’t include slurs on my sexuality.” His voice was tight and controlled; it reminded Draco that this would have been the first time Harry had experienced any kind of homophobia. “I knew this was coming; I even told Kingsley to expect it. I wasn’t even really surprised by it, or by the force that people are willing to believe Ginny with, but now that everything is out in the open and people are free to decide for themselves, I was hoping that some of them would be able to see both sides. The thing is, I haven’t gotten one single letter that could be considered even the slightest bit positive. It’s all been homophobes and people who believe they have the right to tell me how I should have dealt with this. Yes, I know I was wrong to cheat on Ginny and lie about it. Yes, I know that I could have handled things better, but...” He trailed off with an angry-sounding puff of breath.

 

Draco shook his head. Trust Harry to hope that he would get some kind of support for this. He had been thinking for a little while now that Harry was too trusting; possibly even a little naive. He stepped tentatively forward and placed a hand on Harry’s shoulder, hoping that he wouldn’t turn and take a swing at him for being half of the cause of his current distress. He let out a surprised sound when Harry did turn, but instead of throwing a punch at him, stepped forward until he could wrap Draco into a tight embrace. Draco’s arms automatically went around Harry’s waist, but only held him loosely out of shock.

 

“Harry?”

 

“I want you.”

 

The skin of Draco’s neck pimpled as the words were mumbled into his collarbone. Merlin knew he wanted Harry just as much as Harry wanted him, but there was something to the tone of Harry’s voice that gave him pause. By this time, he knew that sex was very much a stress reliever for Harry, but he also knew that this wasn’t exactly a healthy reaction. Having dealt with these kinds of letters for a long time after the War ended, Draco knew just how much it could hurt to be told that you were worthless and that you didn’t have the right to breathe the same air as so-called ‘decent’ witches and wizards. Words hurt, even if they were from complete strangers. Fighting down his own reaction to what Harry had said, he took a deep breath.

 

“Harry...” There was a reasonable tone to Draco’s voice and he received a low growl in response that caused him to grin. “I–”

 

“Come on, Malfoy,” Harry interrupted as he pushed Draco backwards until he sat down in the chair Harry had recently vacated, then moved to straddle him. “Fuck me. I know you want to.”

 

Only just holding onto his control when his body wanted to react to the words, Draco placed one hand on Harry’s hip to prevent him from rocking in his lap and tangled the other through the messy hair at the back of Harry’s head. He had not been able to get more than one word out at a time that morning and it was starting to annoy him. As much as he sympathised with Harry’s angry reaction to the letter, he knew that he had to break him out of the habit of repressing this kind of anger: it wasn’t healthy and it wasn’t helpful. Tightening his grip on Harry’s hip and hair, he forced him to meet his eyes.

 

“You are better than this.”

 

Harry froze completely, staring down at Draco with a strange glint to his eyes. The muscles in his arms began to cord as he obviously gripped the back of the chair tightly.

 

“What?”

 

“Whoever it was that wrote that letter doesn’t know you and doesn’t know the type of man you are; all they have to go off are the articles they read in the papers. As much as I appreciate the idea of being the first one you think of when you want sex, using it and me as a way to relieve your anger over these kinds of things will eventually have poor consequences for your mental health. I tried the exact same thing myself after the War ended and all I got out of it is a list of men I never want to see again.” He fought back a shudder as he remembered some of the things he had been willing to do in the days after the War to help himself forget. “My point is that no matter what some random stranger thinks of you, you are still the same person now that you were before this all happened. The only thing that has changed is that you’ve had your eyes opened.”

 

Draco had no idea what to expect from this little speech, but having Harry practically melt into him was definitely not it. Harry released his grip on the back of the chair and moved closer, moulding their bodies together as he buried his nose into the hair just behind Draco’s ear. The feeling of having Harry relaxing against his chest caused Draco to smile and he wrapped his arms around him, holding him close as he felt the tension draining out of him.

 

“Draco...” There was a much more suggestive tone to Harry’s voice this time and Draco’s body reacted to it much faster than the desperation he had been displaying. “You like me a lot more than you’ve said if that’s what you really think.”

 

Draco’s breath huffed out of him in a shocked laugh as his pulse began to race. He gave himself a quick mental scolding when panic began to rise in his chest: it was perfectly alright for Harry to know that he cared for him. Draco had known that he would have a problem allowing himself to show those kinds of emotions when he had first entered this relationship, but he was getting better at it. If he had had this kind of reaction to Harry a few weeks ago, he most likely would have tried to convince himself that the racing pulse was a symptom of a panic attack, or something similar; at least now he was willing to acknowledge his feelings to himself. He was pulled out of his thoughts when Harry sat back and rested their foreheads together.

 

“Thank you.”

 

He tilted his head and sucked Draco’s bottom lip into his mouth, nibbling softly before kissing him properly. Sliding his hands up the back of the shirt Harry wore, Draco drew him closer, enjoying his body heat. This part of the relationship came easily to him, at least. Feeling free to examine the emotions that assaulted him each time he was with Harry, Draco discovered something that disturbed him a little. He really didn’t think that there had been any change in what he felt since they had first got together; in fact, he was certain that what he was feeling right then was almost exactly what it seemed like he had always felt when it came to Harry. Knowing that in his current lust-addled state he was probably not in the best frame of mind to judge something like that, he made the decision to follow through on what Harry was offering and see if there was any change. Breaking the kiss earned him a small whine from Harry.

 

“Is sex still on offer?”

 

Harry grinned as he leant in close. “Sex is always on offer; you don’t even have to ask.”

 

Draco watched as Harry slid off his lap and quickly stripped his clothing off. Normally he would have told him to slow down a bit, but by that time, his own need was beginning to overshadow everything else he was feeling. Raising his hips so he could slide his own pyjama bottoms off, Draco smiled at the hungry look he received in response.

 

“Come here.” He held his hand out to Harry, who took it with a small frown. “Straddle me. You’ll have full control over the pace and how much of me you take.”

 

Draco quickly muttered the lubrication charm and ran his hand along his hard cock, making sure he was fully erect before Harry reached him. Harry’s eyes followed the motion of Draco’s hand, sending desire shooting through his stomach. He was surprised when he found it difficult to stop stroking himself as the heat built inside him: with what was on offer, the idea of finishing himself off wasn’t anywhere near as appealing. Harry mumbled the preparation charms just before he moved on top of Draco and even that seemed to send more desire in on top of what he already felt.

 

“You’re sure? I’ve never–”

 

“It’s alright; come here.” Draco reached to grasp Harry’s hips, manoeuvring him so he was standing with one leg either side of Draco’s thighs.”Now, sit down. That’s – mmm – that’s it.”

 

Finding that he was rapidly losing the ability to speak as he felt Harry slowly stretching around him, Draco gave up on guiding him verbally. Using one hand to steady Harry’s hips and the other to guide himself inside, Draco managed to get them into position surprisingly easily. Once Harry was seated on top of him, Draco took a few seconds to steady himself: he let his head fall forward onto Harry’s chest and took several deep breaths, hoping desperately that he would be able to hold on.

 

“Draco?” Harry’s voice was strained. “Are you... Is this...” He seemed unable to finish a sentence, but Draco thought he had understood.

 

“Good, so good.”

 

Tightening his grip on Harry’s hips a little, he rubbed small circles with his thumbs in an attempt to distract himself. The sensation of having almost all of Harry’s weight on top of him was new and was sending sharp jabs of lust lancing rapidly through him. He swore profusely when Harry squeezed his muscles around him.

 

“Draco?” Harry’s hands came up to raise Draco’s head when he didn’t respond. The pupils of Harry’s eyes were blown wide, leaving only a small trace of green around the edges as Draco met them. “I – I need to...”

 

Draco nodded. “Move.”

 

It seemed that that was all Harry needed to hear. He experimented with different paces and different angles: rocking his hips back and forth, bouncing up and down and rolling his hips. Draco held on through it all, the heat and pure _need_ building in him rapidly with each movement of Harry in his lap. His body heated and a fine sheen of sweat formed on his forehead and top lip as he began to struggle to hold onto his rapidly deteriorating control. Harry was so hot, so tight around him and was moaning with each huffed out breath; Draco wasn’t going to be able to last much longer with this kind of stimulation. It wasn’t until Harry fell forward and captured his lips in a deep kiss that he knew he was going to lose control. Harry’s natural scent mingled with the musk of sex, assaulting his senses along with the lingering taste of chamomile and it was too much; his system was overloading. Breaking the kiss, Draco clenched his hands tightly on Harry’s hips.

 

“Harry... _fuck_... I... I...”

 

He made the mistake of looking into Harry’s eyes right at that second and his mind finished the sentence for him. _I love you._ He gasped as his hips jerked upwards, giving him just enough stimulation to tip him over the edge. With the confusing mix of emotions running through him, he missed Harry’s cry of release and was shocked when he fell forward and landed against his chest, smearing them both with cooling cum.

 

“Draco...” Harry’s voice was rough and it stirred something inside Draco, buried deep beneath the fading desire and building worry. “So good...”

 

As much as he wanted to be able to agree and just enjoy his afterglow, Draco’s mind was already racing. Was it possible that he loved Harry? He didn’t think anything had changed over the past few weeks, so maybe he was just confusing lust with love? He ran his hands slowly up and down Harry’s back, automatically moving to soothe him as he panted. They stopped the motion when Harry pushed himself up with what seemed to be a lot of effort.

 

“Draco? You alright?”

 

Draco’s stomach fluttered pathetically at the concern he saw in Harry’s face. Harry was everything he had wanted for so long that he now realised that this was the inevitable conclusion to things: he had fallen hopelessly in love with him in the matter of a few weeks. Or had Astoria been right? Had he loved him for years now and just needed this push to reveal everything that he had denied? Either way, one thing was clear to him at least: Astoria was never going to let him hear the end of this.

 

“I’m fine,” he murmured as he tangled his hand back into Harry’s hair. _Just perfect._


	21. Chapter 21

_Draco’s fingers were fascinating things. Long and elegant, they could be hard and jab into Harry’s ribs when he did or said something that annoyed him. They could be soft and send tingles up and down Harry’s spine with one tiny touch. Right at that moment they were tracing along the top of his waistband as Draco’s lips trailed down Harry’s throat, causing his breath to hitch and his heart to race. Those fingers were going to drive him insane._

 

“Harry?”

 

_Falling backwards, Harry’s back hit the wood of the wall behind him with a thump and a jolt. Draco pressed into him, nipping at his Adam’s apple as those fingers moved down into the top of Harry’s jeans. Arching his back, Harry pressed closer, offering himself in the most obvious way, but Draco held off. He grabbed Harry’s arse and squeezed, kneading his cheeks slowly. Harry’s mind wandered to exactly what he wanted those fingers to do next and he huffed out an excited breath._

 

“Harry!”

 

_Tangling his own fingers through Draco’s hair, Harry dragged him up into a kiss. It wasn’t soft and it wasn’t pleasant. It was filled with all the need he felt: his need to be fucked, his need to be filled and his desperate need of Draco himself. He bit, their teeth clashed and Draco shoved him back into the wall with a force Harry had not thought him capable of. He was fairly certain that this would have been completely different with someone else; that if it had been someone else in that toilet just over five weeks ago, it would have stopped there and that would have been the end of it. Harry would still be with Ginny, miserable and confused. Draco was what Harry had needed; what he still needed with a desperation that bordered on embarrassing. He hooked his leg around Draco’s, pulling him closer..._

 

“Auror Potter!” Harry jumped guiltily as Kingsley slammed his hands down on his desk, breaking him out of the daydream with a shock that had his heart racing for a completely different reason. “Whatever it is that Malfoy did to you last night must have been good, because you haven’t been paying attention to anything today.”

 

Blushing to the roots of his hair, Harry closed his eyes, trying to regain some composure. A quick shift in his chair told him that, thankfully, his body hadn’t begun to react to the stimulation his mind was creating. It was late on Wednesday afternoon and he had been stuck in meetings all day with the only distraction being his own imagination. That had not been a problem before he got together with Draco, because the scenes he pictured did nothing for him: they had involved a lot of very large breasts attached to women Harry probably would have had no hope of finding attractive even if he had been straight. Taking a firm hold of his libido, Harry cleared his throat.

 

“Sorry, Kingsley; it won’t happen again.”

 

A small amused sound caused Harry to open his eyes and glance up. Kingsley was smiling at him with what appeared to be fondness.

 

“It’s good to see you happy, Harry.” Harry blinked at him for a few seconds, surprise rushing through him, but before he could respond, Kingsley continued. “But there are things that need your focus. I know for a fact that you have voted in the decision-making processes at a number of meetings today and in light of your current levels of distraction, I need to know if you know what it was you voted on.”

 

Frowning as he thought back on the day, Harry was certain that he hadn’t been that distracted during the other meetings. He counted off the votes on his fingers as he mentioned them. “There was the next Wizengamot member we voted in because her mother died and she wanted to take her position. We chose her over her brother because the brother had links to that criminal ring we busted up last year. There was a minor change to the legislation that really had nothing to do with me, but they wanted my opinion anyway. We tweaked the way one of the laws was worded because it was allowing people to slip in-between the gaps when it came to the safety of the charms placed on racing brooms. The last one was over that party thing the Ministry is hosting next week.”

 

“‘That party thing’, as you put it, is the Annual Ministry Ball. You remember; the Ball that you find an excuse to not attend each and every single year?”

 

The humour had returned to Kingsley’s voice and Harry grinned sheepishly. Of course he had invented excuses each year: why would he want to attend a Ball where the only reason for him being there was so people could say that they had met him? He had never pandered to the Ministry’s wishes when it came to his social life and it didn’t look to him like he would begin any time soon. Sitting back into his chair, Harry grinned.

 

“You don’t expect me to attend this year, do you?”

 

Kingsley eyed him contemplatively for a few seconds, his dark eyes locked onto Harry’s. “It would be the perfect opportunity for you and Malfoy to ‘come out’ together, so to speak.”

 

Surprise silenced Harry quite effectively as he stared at Kingsley. It had never occurred to him that the media would be waiting to catch him and Draco together somewhere so they could be the first to publish pictures of them together. Of course, he knew it should have, but he had been so distracted by dealing with Ginny – who had gone straight back on assignment Monday morning – and making sure his kids were alright that the idea had simply slipped his mind. What hadn’t slipped his mind since it had occurred to him a few weeks ago was the idea that he was going to retire from the Corps. It had been nagging at him and the public’s reaction to the article at the end of last week had solidified that decision. If they felt as though they could no longer trust him, then there was no point in him staying the Head of the Auror Department. Taking a steadying breath in an attempt to try to compose his thoughts, Harry sat up a little straighter.

 

“There _is_ something I needed to talk to you about, Kingsley.” He smiled when Kingsley’s expression tightened. “I’ve given it a lot of thought and I think I’ve come to a decision about my retirement.”

 

Kingsley sighed and shook his head. “I knew this was coming.”

 

“I can’t continue if they don’t trust me, Kingsley, you know I can’t. It wouldn’t be fair to the public and it would be counterproductive for the Ministry. This job is all about having the public trust you and I’ve straddled that line for many years now. There was still lingering resentment for some of the things people thought I got away with during school that I could never get past, no matter how hard I tried.” He ran a hand through his hair, no doubt making it stand on end, but he couldn’t care about that at the moment. He needed to get his point across in the kind of terms that Kingsley wouldn’t be able to refute. “This was the final tipping point and I’ve landed on the wrong side of the fence for a lot of people. Besides that, if I can find something else to do that isn’t quite so public, then maybe everything will be easier on the kids over Christmas when they come back from Hogwarts. If I give the media time to relax and not be so shocked when they do finally see me with Draco, then maybe they’ll leave them alone.”

 

Harry watched Kingsley’s expression carefully, trying to tell what he was thinking. As always, he was doomed to fail, but that had never stopped him before. Leaning back into the high-backed chair behind the desk, Kingsley stared at Harry for a long time. While Harry didn’t stare back, he did glance up at him every now and then to see if the unreadable expression had changed. He opened his mouth to ask whether Kingsley had heard him when he felt as though the silence had stretched long enough and that was when Kingsley spoke again.

 

“I don’t want you to leave, Harry.” Harry could have sworn that there was disappointment in Kingsley’s voice and it stabbed at him: he had disappointed enough people in his life recently; he didn’t need the guilt of having done the same with Kingsley. “However, I know you’re correct in this. Out of all the Heads of Department, besides Human Relations, you are the only one who really _needs_ the public’s good opinion. This business with Ginny and Malfoy has damaged your image with the public enough that I don’t think you can recover in time to regain their faith in you. It will most likely return in time, just as it has in the past, but I believe that this will take longer. It’s unfortunate that it has had to come to this.”

 

Hanging his head, Harry rubbed a hand along the back of his neck. “I’m sorry, Kingsley.”

 

Merlin, but he was sick of having to apologise to the people who meant the most to him. Both the Weasleys and his children had taken the news with varying degrees of acceptance and he hoped desperately that Kingsley would continue in the same vein he had since first finding out about this whole affair. By simply accepting that Harry was happier now than he had been in may long years, Kingsley actually made a lot of things much easier than they could have been if he had chosen to react differently. At least he hadn’t fucked anything up with Draco recently: he wasn’t sure how he could have coped without having someone there to support him when he was feeling a bit overwhelmed.

 

“There’s no need to apologise, Harry. I knew I couldn’t have you here forever and at least the scandal you’re going out with doesn’t involve any kinds of criminal activity.” He smiled wide when Harry frowned at him in confusion. “You’d be surprised how many of your predecessors got themselves fired for dabbling on the wrong side of the law. Now, the only real question left is: when will you make the public announcement?”

 

Harry groaned. “You’re not thinking...?”

 

“That the Ball would be the perfect time? What a brilliant suggestion, Harry!” The smile Kingsley now flashed him held so much mischief in it that it could have come from James. “And if you can manage to bring a date, it would make the night that much better for you.”

 

Harry merely shook his head and sighed. Maybe if he broke the news to Draco while he was distracted then he could secure a yes to a date, but he wasn’t going to hold his breath on this one.

 

*~*

 

“Where is it, Astoria?”

 

Rummaging through the cupboards of the kitchen in Malfoy Manor, Draco scowled. He knew exactly where he had placed his batch of French chocolate that Narcissa had sent over just after Scorpius had gone off to Hogwarts, but considering it was now gone, he could only assume that Astoria had either moved or eaten it. He flexed his shoulders as tension rippled along them. It wasn’t often that he resorted to chocolate to relieve the stress he was under, but this time it had gotten the better of him.

 

“Where’s what?”

 

Even if Astoria hadn’t been attempting a wide-eyed innocent look that Draco had always been able to see through, he would not have been fooled. “You know exactly what I’m talking about. Where is the chocolate Mother sends?”

 

He shot her a glare when she let out a giggle; it caused him to wonder whether Harry had the kind of pull within the Ministry that would get Draco off a murder charge. But then again, he reconsidered, Harry had been talking more and more of retirement recently, so he wouldn’t want his last actions as Head of the Auror Department to be getting his partner off a murder charge. He paused for a second. _Partner_... That was something Draco both desperately wanted and did not want to be at the same time. It was that dichotomy that was causing his muscles to tense and him to crave chocolate so badly.

 

“Oh, you mean the stuff that has chilli powder laced through it? The stuff that you try to hide from me each time Narcissa sends it, but always fail? The really expensive stuff?” She grinned when he glared over his shoulder as he searched through one of the higher cupboards. “It isn’t good for you, you know.”

 

He sighed, but turned to face her with as neutral an expression as he could manage. “I don’t drink to excess, I have never smoked and the one and only time I have ever tried drugs was well before I married you. You have taken away my one vice and if you do not give it back, I may very well need bail money. Give. Me. My. Chocolate.”

 

“How about a compromise?” Draco groaned and slumped back against the bench behind him. “I’ll give you your chocolate back when you tell me why you need it.”

 

Draco’s eyes slid closed. One of the drawbacks to his having married Astoria was the fact that she knew him so very well. She knew that the only time he really _craved_ this chocolate was when he was worried or stressed and nothing else was relieving it. Unfortunately, she also knew what signs to look for that would indicate that he was getting to the stage where he would resort to the chocolate as a remedy.

 

“Tori...”

 

His voice sounded weary even to him and he paused, not wanting her to think that he was trying to garner sympathy. The tension had been building inside him ever since his revelation that past Sunday that he had been stupid enough to fall for Harry. The fact that it had only taken three days for it to become unbearable was very telling to Draco, but he knew that Astoria couldn’t have worked out exactly what it was that was worrying him. Perhaps he could lie to her; feed her some kind of bullshit that would be plausible enough for her to leave him alone? That thought only lasted until he reopened his eyes to see her standing in the doorway of the kitchen, a concerned look on her face. He shook his head.

 

“I can’t.”

 

“Why not?”

 

He shook his head again. “No, I–” Clenching his hands onto the lip of the bench behind him, he sighed. “Please don’t make me, Tori...”

 

He jumped when she marched across the room and wrapped her arms around him. One hand traced up and down his back in soothing strokes and the other tangled into his hair, holding him close. Her warmth surrounded him, followed swiftly by the flowery scent she favoured, weakening Draco’s defences. Sagging down into the embrace, he sighed softly. Astoria had always been able to calm him down for some strange reason, despite the fact that she wasn’t quite as good at it as the chocolate she still had hidden. It was similar to the feeling he used to get from Pansy during school, with the exception that he knew that Astoria wasn’t trying to comfort him with the intention of becoming the next Mrs. Malfoy. Astoria had never really wanted to marry, he knew that, but circumstances had forced both of their hands. He was just thankful that they got along so well. Wrapping his own arms around her waist, he held her close, simply enjoying the comfort she was offering.

 

“I’ll kill him.” Draco frowned at the ferocity in her voice. “Saviour or not, he’s a dead man. What has he done?”

 

A reluctant smile crossed Draco’s face as he realised what she had assumed. “Nothing.”

 

“Don’t lie to me, Draco.” Astoria pulled back so their eyes met and Draco could see all the protective anger in them that was currently in her voice. “The only time you sulk like this is when something has gone wrong with one of the men you’re with. Since you’ve been exclusive with Harry for the past month, he’s the only one who could have done anything to cause this. Now, tell me what he’s done.”

 

Leaning in so he could rest their foreheads together, Draco smiled properly. “It’s nothing he’s done, I swear.”

 

Astoria sighed and moved backwards, dragging Draco with her towards the living room. “Come on in here and sit down.” She shoved him back onto the lounge and took the chair beside the fire for herself. “If you don’t give me a reasonable explanation for this, then I’ll go and ask Harry what he’s done myself.”

 

Eyeing her for a few seconds, any thoughts of lying to get his own way flew straight out of his mind. Nerves assaulted him as he stood to pace in front of the fire. He was going to have to tell her, but now that the moment had come, he was finding it more than a little difficult. He had only ever thought himself in love once before and it had been a few years before they had married. It was obvious now that he had been wrong about the last one, but it was all he had to compare these feelings to at the moment. He had not had the same kinds of worries with his previous partner as he had now with Harry, however. The standout being that Harry was still very much married and still adjusting to the fact that he was attracted to men and not women. He was the only one Draco had ever been with who was still getting used to his own sexuality and it caused all kinds of new worries to hit Draco at strange hours of the day. This latest set of fears had occurred to him as he was cleaning his workroom that afternoon and hadn’t left him alone for the past few hours. They were the reason he had begun to crave the chocolate his mother had sent him and the reason he was currently facing a confession session with Astoria. Huffing out a sigh, he turned to face her.

 

“I think... No, I _know_...” He paused as another set of nerves hit him. Kicking out at the corner of the lounge to relieve some of the sudden anger that built up in him in response to the nerves, he growled. “Damn it, Tori; I love him. I hate him for it, but I love him and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.”

 

Silence met his declaration and he stomped off over to the window so he didn’t have to look at her. Merlin only knew what her reaction was going to be to this, but he figured it was best of she had the time to absorb this news in as much privacy as she could get. He spun back around when she cleared her throat a few seconds later and was stunned when he saw her smiling.

 

“That’s a good thing, Draco. Why are you so stressed about it?”

 

“Good?” He stared at her with his mouth open for a few seconds. “How can it be good? He’s still married and he’s only just come out to everyone he knows, himself included. He’s...” He turned away from her again as a strong sense of bitterness washed through him. “I’m the fucking _rebound_ , Tori. Just because I’m sick of leading this kind of life doesn’t mean he is. I’ve had the opportunity to be with different people over the years and have come to the decision that he is the one I want. What if I’m just a part of his explorations? What if all he needed me for was to show him that he really is gay and that was it? What if he can never love me back because he only sees me as a means to an end? Someone to get him where he needed to be so he can go out and find the one he really wants? I love him but that doesn’t mean that he loves me.”

 

The sound of footsteps rapidly approaching him caused Draco to turn instinctively towards them. Astoria wrapped him in a tight embrace again, her hands running along the length of his back again. Draco slumped down into her arms, his chest aching with worry and fear.

 

“You listen to me, alright? Anyone who has seen the two of you together would know that Harry only has eyes for you. You gave him the opportunity to leave before this got serious; hell, you practically demanded it. He stayed; you didn’t want him to, but he did. He wants to be with you, Dray, and you deserve this happiness.”

 

Draco couldn’t even be bothered objecting to the mutilation of his name as pain washed through him. He knew that nothing Astoria could say was going to alleviate this fear, but the fact that she was trying did help a bit. Leaning into the embrace, he allowed himself to become lost in the feeling of comfort he was getting for a few minutes.

 

“You’re not going to dump him, are you?”

 

A small smile touched Draco’s lips as he straightened up. “No. I know it’ll probably end badly, but I have to see it through.”

 

“Things between the two of you can never be simple, can they?” She pulled back, smiling up at him. “I’ll tell you what. Go upstairs and get changed into something nice. I’ll take us to my parent’s place for dinner; replace your French chocolate with some Italian.”

 

Draco’s smile widened when she grinned and moved off towards her wing of the Manor. The in-law’s house wasn’t exactly what he had had in mind for dinner that night, but it was a rather appealing prospect. He penned Harry a quick note explaining where he was before climbing the stairs towards his dressing room. Yes, maybe a trip to Italy was what he needed to clear his mind. And, of course, the promise of more fine chocolate never hurt.


	22. Chapter 22

The next few days proved to be a true test of Draco’s patience. The threats and insults to himself he could deal with, he could even deal with hearing people slander Harry – he had done it enough himself over the years – but when they began to focus on Astoria was when he really got angry. She was the only innocent in this entire mess and when one of the papers decided to do an exposé on her instead of him, it was the final tipping point. He had abandoned his work for the entire day on Friday in order to be present when his lawyers raided the offices of the _Weekly Gazette_ up in Newcastle. It had been well worth the effort and loss of money, as it had dragged out information on the editor that Draco had been able to use to intimidate him into complete silence when it came to his wife and child.

 

One of the other disadvantages that came along with the papers’ fascination with him and their increased curiosity, of course, was that it increased the pressure and stress on him to almost unbearable levels. The public’s interest in him and his family had never really waned, but it hadn’t been this bad since the days of the War. His mini breakdown on Wednesday had just been the start. Astoria taking him to visit her parents in Italy had helped a little, but by the time the mess with the _Gazette_ rolled around, his shoulders felt as though they were permanently tensed, his stomach was roiling and his head throbbed in time to his heartbeat. Added on top of everything that was going on with the newspapers was his constant fear that Harry was never going to be able to return his feelings and that he was just going through all of this for nothing. It was all too much and not even spending the night at Grimmauld alone with Harry on Friday night after he had dropped Lily off at her grandparent’s house had been able to help. He woke late on Saturday morning to the worst tension headache he had ever experienced.

 

“Harry...”

 

He tried to stretch his arm out, carefully trying to not move any other body part in case it made everything worse. A frown crossed his forehead when he realised that he couldn’t really move, but it soon smoothed out when the reason became clear: Harry was holding him close to his chest in their bed, his arms wrapped tightly around his torso.

 

“Finally!” Harry sounded so relieved that Draco’s mind began to race, trying to work out what could be wrong. “Shh, it’s alright; you’re alright.” Draco frowned again, but before he could force his brain into forming actual words, Harry spoke again. “Drink this.”

 

Draco felt the lip of a bottle pressed to his lips and he automatically opened his mouth to swallow it down. He grimaced when he tasted one of his own pain potions, but gulped it down in one breath when he realised that it would take the throbbing headache away. It didn’t occur to him to open his eyes, as he knew that the light would be too bright, even if it was only the dull light of an October morning. Instead, he focussed on the pain in his head, waiting for the potion to start to take effect. He knew it wouldn’t be long, because it was one of his own. It felt like an eternity – when in reality it could have only been a few minutes – but he eventually felt the throbbing lessening and he began to take stock of other body parts. His shoulders still ached, but Harry’s fingers softly massaging them was doing wonders for that problem; his neck was also stiff, but again, Harry’s fingers were moving slowly upwards and would take care of that relatively soon. He curled his fist, clenching his hand around one of Harry’s biceps tightly as he did.

 

“Harry?”

 

“I swear to God, Draco, if you ever scare me like that again...”

 

Harry left the threat open, but Draco got the point. What he did not understand, however, was exactly what he had done to scare Harry. He was missing vital pieces of information and it was _frustrating_. Still not bothering to open his eyes, he tried to reason out what had happened.

 

“I scared–” He had to break off when his voice cracked and he coughed, automatically trying to clear it.

 

“Did you have nightmares after the end of the War? Because that is exactly what this sounded like: like the ones Ginny had after everything was done,” Harry supplied quietly. “You started by kicking out in your sleep. I lit my wand and rolled over to see you covered in sweat; it was like you’d run a marathon or something. You were muttering something about not being able to tell someone something?”

 

Guilt shot through Draco’s stomach at that: he knew exactly who it was he couldn’t tell something and what that something was. There was no way he was letting on that he knew, however, so he just lay there, hoping Harry wasn’t waiting for a response. Thankfully, it seemed he wasn’t.

 

“Then it looked like the dream changed, because you started actually thrashing around on the bed. I really did try to wake you, but every time I tried, you’d lash out. You wouldn’t wake up on your own either, so I did the only thing I could think of to keep you safe from yourself. I know restraining someone who was asleep probably wasn’t the smartest idea, but it looked like the only option I had. You’re a lot stronger than you look, you know.”

 

Now that was something Draco felt he could respond to. There was a warmth to Harry’s voice that only increased the guilt Draco was feeling, but he pushed it aside as best he could. He knew he couldn’t just blurt out that he had stupidly fallen for him and risk being either rejected or laughed at: he wasn’t sure he could deal with that kind of pain on top of everything else. Instead, he raised his head a little and opened his eyes, meeting Harry’s with a small smile.

 

“Yes, I had nightmares after the War ended. I never remember them though; I never have. They were much worse before I married Astoria as well, because she also had them. It almost felt as though having someone in the house who could understand what I was going through made everything better. She wasn’t directly involved in the battle, because she was too young, but a lot of her Housemates stayed. Chances were, after we married, that if I woke in the middle of the night because of a nightmare, she wouldn’t object to being woken up, because she did the same to me.”

 

It wasn’t a lie, not completely. Draco chose to think of it more as avoidance: he had answered Harry’s question about his nightmares while completely dodging having to answer the question of what he couldn’t tell the mystery person he had been having the nightmare about. Besides that, he knew that each of the War veterans – and how strange it was to be thinking of himself like that! – had come away from the War with some kind of psychological damage. For example, he knew that Greg and Pansy both had nightmares; a lot of the ex-students were a lot quieter than they had been before the War and even Blaise, who had seemed much more stable than the rest of their year, had a therapist he saw each week. It was simply one of the consequences of surviving what they had survived. He also knew that there was absolutely no reason for him to have to lie to Harry about this part, because Harry had probably had it much worse than the rest of them put together. Not that Draco had asked and, equally, Harry hadn’t offered to tell: the War and its repercussions was something you just didn’t speak about anymore unless you were a politician. Everyone who had been through it was sick of discussing what could have happened and what had happened and everyone who had been too young to live through it was learning all about it at Hogwarts anyway. Pushing himself up onto his elbows broke Harry’s grip on him, but Draco discovered that he needed the distance: he was letting himself be too vulnerable; too open.

 

“Draco?” Harry’s eyes were as wide and open as ever, causing guilt to flash through Draco’s stomach again. “You know you can tell me anything, right? If you want to talk, I’m here for you.”

 

Draco smiled and lowered his head so he could rest their foreheads together. He was finally starting to get used to Harry’s openness and, instead of making him feel even more vulnerable, these days it just caused desire to pool in his stomach. This was a feeling that he had never before expected to feel: being warm, safe and completely relaxed in another man’s arms. It had been strange at first, because he was so used to being the dominant one – for lack of a better word – in his relationships, but he knew now that these emotions were inevitable when it came to him and Harry. He allowed himself to enjoy the sensation for a few seconds before responding.

 

“I know.”

 

The words were whispered against Harry’s lips before he leant down to capture them in a soft kiss. The kiss didn’t stay soft for very long: the potion had worked wonders on Draco’s headache, just as he had known it would. Dipping his tongue into Harry’s mouth earned him a deep groan that had him smiling into the kiss. He shifted so he was lying fully on top of Harry when Harry’s grip on him loosened completely, finally allowing him to move from his side. As always, the feeling of having Harry beneath him got Draco going much faster than nearly anything else he could think of. Not that he was doing much in the way of thinking at that moment, not with Harry’s hands reversing direction and moving slowly down his back. He broke the kiss when Harry raised his knees, causing their hips to align and Draco to feel the growing evidence of Harry’s desire for him.

 

“I want you.”

 

“I know.” And it was an amazing feeling: Draco could bring the mighty Harry Potter to his knees, quite literally if he wished. Harry could – and had – make his worries disappear in the matter of only a few seconds and at this moment in his life, that was exactly what Draco needed. “Show me.”

 

Draco grinned when Harry flipped them over and began kissing and nipping his way down his neck and chest. This was one area where Draco had been able to teach Harry, guiding him through exactly how to please him. It had been well worth the effort as well: because Harry had not had any experience with anyone else before Draco, he had no habits to unlearn before Draco could be totally satisfied. The other men Draco had been with all had their own techniques that had worked with past partners, but some of them had left Draco cold. Harry never had, though. He arched his back and bit down on his bottom lip when he finally felt Harry’s hot breath huffing over the head of his cock.

 

“You’re so quiet during sex...”

 

The words rumbled along the length of Draco’s cock and he let out a breathless sound, more a moan than actual words before collecting himself enough to respond properly. “You’d prefer me to tell you what to do?”

 

“Gods, no: you’re bossy enough as it is.”

 

Harry had, once again, kept his lips pressed firmly against the underside of Draco’s cock, allowing him to feel the vibrations of his voice. This was something that Harry had simply started to do in the past fortnight and it drove Draco mad. It was almost like having an actual blowjob, but it was nowhere near enough for him to achieve any kind of satisfaction from it.

 

“Shut the fuck up and get on with it, then.”

 

Draco could feel Harry smile before he spoke again. “Mmm?” Draco bit down on his lip again. “I was under the impression you liked this?” He clenched his hands into the sheet beneath him as Harry moved lower. “You certainly seem to like it.” Draco’s eyes squeezed shut as Harry reached the sensitive skin where the base of his now-straining cock met his sac. “No? How about if I do this?”

 

Draco groaned as his balls were sucked into the heat of Harry’s mouth. Harry began to chuckle a second later, continuing the slow torture as the sound vibrated through Draco once again. Giving up on any pretence of having control over himself, Draco muttered the lubrication charm and reached down to begin to stroke himself. The sense of relief that washed through him on the first stroke had him groaning again. He knew he wouldn’t last long with this amount of stimulation, especially considering Harry’s hands were now exploring the tops of his thighs as he hummed tunelessly. Draco allowed his legs to raise and fall apart as he got closer and closer to orgasm, giving Harry better access to the sensitive skin at the back of his thighs. Harry’s fingers brushed light touches over him, the vibrations stoked the fire now raging in his stomach and his hand quickened on his cock, but it wasn’t until one of Harry’s fingers pressed lightly against his perineum that Draco lost it completely. Yelling hoarsely as pleasure rushed through him, he shot thick ropes of cum up over his hand and stomach. Harry continued to suck on his balls as they emptied, but also replaced Draco’s hand with his own as he faltered. Harry stroked him through his orgasm, milking him for everything he could give before releasing him and beginning to lick him clean. Draco had no idea how long he lay there panting for breath before Harry finally made it up his chest to claim his lips in a passionate kiss.

 

“Draco...”

 

He hadn’t needed the prompt: his hand was already stroking up the length of Harry’s hard cock, using the leftover lube still on his hand. When it became obvious he wasn’t going to be able to do much else, he flipped them over again so he was on top. The angle was much easier from there, allowing Draco to balance on his knees as he stroked Harry’s cock. He sent his other hand exploring Harry’s hotspots, knowing he was worked up enough that he wouldn’t need much. Harry’s back arched nicely when Draco stroked his palm over his hard nipples and he grinned. Harry had apparently not known that his nipples were sensitive and Draco had taken much pleasure in showing him just how much enjoyment he could get out of the seemingly useless little nubs. He pinched hard and Harry groaned, pressing into him.

 

“Draco... Please... I – I...” Draco smiled as Harry lost his words again, panting as Draco pinched his nipple again. “I... Nnngh... I...”

 

Taking pity on him, Draco increased his speed and leant down to kiss him. It wasn’t long before Harry was coming, spurting jets of hot cum over the two of them. He returned the favour Harry had done him and stroked him until he began to go limp in his hand. Once Harry was spent, Draco cleaned them both with a wave of his hand, gathered Harry in his arms and rolled them over. He fell asleep again easily.

 

*~*

 

_You what, Harry? How was that sentence going to end?_

 

Harry lay next to Draco, watching him as he slept. He had known that Draco either hadn’t been sleeping properly, or else just needed a really good night’s rest, but he hadn’t thought it was this bad. Draco’s sleeping patterns weren’t what was worrying him, however.

 

_You wanted to tell him something and it was urgent that he knew. What was it?_

 

He had never been in love before, that much he now knew for sure. Would it feel different from what he had felt for Ginny? He thought it would, but as he was unsure if he was feeling it now, he couldn’t be certain. What he did know was that what he felt for Draco was much more intense than anything he had ever felt for Ginny, or anyone else, for that matter. He had never yet felt the kind of pull he felt towards Draco for anyone else, nor had anyone ever been able to turn him on so quickly. But then, he reconsidered, Draco had always been able to get his attention much faster than anyone else. Harry had paid him close attention in both class and the Great Hall at school and then there had been that whole stalking incident in their sixth year... Maybe this had been inevitable since their first meeting? If he had been the kind of person to believe in Fate, then that was what he would be calling this now. However, he much preferred to think that he had control over his own destiny.

 

_So, if you are in control of this and he is making you feel this way... What? Is it love? Is it just lust that you’re confusing for love? And what about him: does he love you, or are you just a lay for him?_

 

Sighing softly, he inched his way out of bed, pulled some scattered clothing on and moved down through the house to the living room. There was only one person who could answer personal questions about Draco and thankfully, she was only a floo trip away. He stepped out into Malfoy Manor a few seconds later and glanced around. There had been a chime that sounded when he had stepped through, telling the occupants that someone had entered through their floo, so he knew Astoria would arrive soon. Sure enough, she entered from the doorway to the hall in less than a minute.

 

“Harry? What’s happened? Is Draco alright?”

 

She was frowning in obvious confusion and Harry smiled in response. “He’s fine, there’s no need to worry. There’s, er, a few things I need to ask you, though and thought it would be best to ask while he was asleep.”

 

“Oh, alright... Yeah, sure. Come with me.”

 

Harry could see her posture relaxing as she moved out of the room ahead of him. It was nice to know that Draco had someone like her to rely on at home. Not many men in his position would have been able to pull off a subterfuge like he had been. He followed Astoria into a well-lit parlour on the bottom floor and took the soft chair she motioned him into. She pulled a bell and a house-elf popped into existence beside her, wearing the uniform of the Union that Hermione had worked so hard to organise. Harry smiled.

 

“I’ll have a white tea, two sugars, please Tinky. Harry, how about you? I’m afraid we don’t have any chamomile, though.”

 

“Oh, er, that’s fine. I’ll have the same, thanks.” He frowned as what she had said sank in. “How did you know what tea I take?”

 

The smile she offered up was devious. “Draco talks about you. A lot.”

 

“Oh.” Harry could feel a blush beginning to spread across his cheeks and he ducked his head, not wanting her to see.

 

“It’s alright: you’re together, so you’re allowed to talk about each other now, you know.”

 

Still unable to conquer the blush, Harry grinned at his hands in his lap. “That’s a good thing, because he’s what I need to talk to you about.”

 

They were interrupted by Tinky coming back with their tea and some extra biscuits. Astoria dismissed the elf, stating that she was perfectly capable of serving the both of them. When he was sitting with both hands wrapped around a steaming cup, Harry finally raised his head, meeting Astoria’s eyes.

 

“What does he say about me?” His curiosity had gotten the better of him, despite the fact that he knew she wouldn’t answer him: her loyalty was to Draco, not him.

 

“Now that would hardly be fair of me, would it?” She shot him a grin and Harry began to understand why she and Draco got along so well. “That wasn’t what you wanted to ask, was it?”

 

“No,” Harry laughed. He took one last sip of hot tea before setting it aside and organising what he needed to ask in his mind. “You know Draco better than anyone else in the entire world. Is there any way of... I don’t know... Reading him? I know he still practices Occlumency, because I see his face go blank a lot, just like Snape’s used to back in school. There has to be a way to be able to tell what he’s thinking or feeling without pissing him off enough that he starts screaming at me. That way is effective, but I’m kind of sick of it.”

 

Astoria grinned at him again before answering. “Are you absolutely certain you want to know what he’s thinking? Most of it isn’t very nice.”

 

“I’m actually more interested in finding out what he thinks when he’s around me, rather than what he thinks of the latest Ministry gossip, honestly.”

 

“You want to know how he feels about you.”

 

Harry blinked rapidly in surprise. He had forgotten that Draco had mentioned that Astoria had been Sorted into Ravenclaw and that she actually had all the smarts that that House was renowned for. Taking a fortifying sip of tea before he answered helped to clear some of the shock from his mind and he managed to smile at her.

 

“I do.”

 

“Why not just ask him?”

 

“Yeah, I can see that going really well. When he starts to laugh can I come back and live here, because I’m pretty sure he won’t stop for a while.” He grabbed his tea and took a deep gulp, almost scalding his tongue in the process.

 

“He won’t laugh at you, Harry. He might lie if it suits him better, but he won’t laugh.”

 

The sincerity and warmth in Astoria’s voice actually nearly convinced him that she was right. It was the idea of actually following through on those words that held him back. He closed his eyes and took a slow breath.

 

“Can you just tell me one thing? Just one little physical clue so I know that I’m at least not doing something he doesn’t like? I’m not even asking for the bedroom,” he added quickly when she smirked at him. “Just an average, everyday thing that he does that I’ll be able to see if he does it around me.”

 

Harry had to force himself to not hold his breath as he waited for her answer. If he was able to read Draco even a little, then maybe he could start to understand him better and through that, understand his own confusing feelings for him.

 

“Alright,” Astoria murmured as she placed her cup on the coffee table beside her and sat up a little straighter. “One little thing can’t hurt. This is something that I’ve only ever seen him do around me and Scorpius when we’ve done something that affects him on a level he can’t deal with in public. Generally it breaks through those ridiculous Occlumency shields he keeps up and would make him display an emotion he’s not comfortable with in public. I would say that if he does this around you, then you’re in. It means he cares for you more than he’s willing to show in public which for a Malfoy generally tends to translate into love, or something very close to it.”

 

Harry watched carefully as Astoria closed her eyes, clenched her hands and took a deep, slightly shaky breath. His stomach dropped into his shoes just before she opened her eyes again. He recognised that action: Draco had been doing that in front of him for weeks now.

 

“That...?”

 

“That’s it, sorry. That’s roughly about the level of emotion he shows in public. You have to understand that he wasn’t raised the same way everyone else was. Lucius never showed affection in public and that is the example Draco had to follow. He never had any other relatives that he was close to, so Lucius was it. That little breath thing he does is the closest I’ve seen him come to displaying any kind of joy or happiness or love in public.”

 

“I, er, thank you.” Harry smiled, his mind racing. “I’ll make sure to keep an eye out for it. I’d better get back now, though; he doesn’t like to wake up alone.”

 

He kept up the smile as Astoria walked him to the floo again, but it faltered the second he arrived back in Grimmauld. What did this mean? Draco had been doing exactly that around him for weeks, probably close to a month.  He made his way slowly back up through the house, nibbling on his bottom lip as he tried to sort through the confusion in his mind. That confusion cleared when he re-entered the bedroom, however. Draco was lying sprawled across the bed, his arm flung across Harry’s side of the bed, his legs tangled in the sheets and his head on Harry’s pillow.

 

“Hey, budge over will you?” He reached to poke Draco in the ribs as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

 

“Bugger off, Potter,” Draco grumbled in response, but raised himself up on his elbows long enough so that Harry could slide in under the covers, then collapsed down on his chest with a soft sigh. “Where’d you go?”

 

“I wanted some tea.”

 

Harry smiled wide when Draco’s only response was a sleepy-sounding hum. He ran his hands up and down Draco’s back, pressing the muscles gently where he knew Draco had been feeling sore recently. Draco fell back to sleep quickly, causing warmth to spread through Harry’s stomach that had nothing to do with the body heat seeping into him. If this was what real love was, then Harry wasn’t going to turn it down. And if it turned out that Draco really did love him, then he was going to make damn sure that he was worthy of that love, because he knew Draco didn’t open up to just anyone.


	23. Chapter 23

Scowling at the parchment and quill sitting on his lap, Harry sighed. He was supposed to be writing the speech he would use at the Ministry Ball this coming Friday night, where he would officially retire. What he actually appeared to be doing, however, was splotching the parchment in increasingly fascinating patterns. He had almost managed to make one that looked a bit like a dog, or a wobbly rabbit before one of Draco’s feet landed in his lap beside the parchment. Draco wriggled his toes and Harry sighed again.

 

“Really? That’s the best you can do?”

 

“You’re not getting anywhere, so why shouldn’t I enjoy myself?”

 

Harry glanced over to the opposite end of the lounge where Draco lay. He knew he would never get sick of seeing Draco like this: his white shirt halfway unbuttoned, his hair mussed and a lazy smile on his face. He was fairly certain that Draco had never allowed another man to see him so relaxed and, well, happy seemed to be the word that described it best. It was strange to think that, just a few weeks back, he had thought him unattractive, because now he couldn’t imagine anyone else he could be this attracted to. Draco stretched and Harry’s mouth went dry.

 

“Come on, Harry,” Draco cajoled. “You know you want to.”

 

A reluctant smile spread across Harry’s face as he put the parchment aside. Draco smiled back at him, warm and full of the knowledge that he had won. Grasping Draco’s foot, Harry pressed his thumbs into the ball, massaging softly. The groan Draco let out sent images through Harry’s mind that also didn’t help him write his retirement speech.

 

“Draco?”

 

“Mmm?” Draco’s eyes were half-lidded and, combined with the state of his hair at that moment, it gave him a just-fucked look that Harry wanted – no, _needed_ – to see more of. “Harry?”

 

Harry blinked, bringing himself back to the present. “You’ve given speeches before.”

 

“Yes, but they were all written by someone else.”

 

Harry let out a frustrated noise. “How am I supposed to write something like this when no one I know has had to do it before?”

 

“No one had defeated Voldemort before, but you managed that.”

 

“Did you just compare my retirement to killing Voldemort?”

 

Draco smirked. “I could compare him to your wife, if you wish...”

 

Harry let out a snort of laughter, which was followed by a quick shot of guilt. No matter what was going on between them, Ginny was still the mother of his children and he shouldn’t be thinking of her like that. Before he could admonish Draco, however, they were interrupted by a loud, clanging alarm. He shot to his feet, knocking Draco’s foot off his lap.

 

“What is it?”

 

“Someone who’s been blocked is trying to enter the house through the floo.” Harry ran his hands through his hair: he knew exactly who that someone had to be. “What the hell could she want?”

 

“Your charming wife is about to arrive?”

 

“Well, considering the only other person to have been blocked entry to this house via the floo was Snape, I’d say that’s a yes. Unless it’s his zombie coming back to murder me for defiling his favourite student.”

 

Harry heard an amused-sounding puff of breath just before Draco gathered him into his arms. “Who’s defiling whom?”

 

“Not the time, Draco,” Harry huffed out, worry spreading through him rapidly. “She’ll give up soon and actually arrive on the front doorstep.”

 

Harry gasped as he was spun around to face Draco. The annoying git now looked as polished as ever: his hair smooth and clothing immaculate. Draco didn’t give him time to question this, however, as he joined their lips together in a soft kiss. Harry’s eyes slid closed and he managed to block out the clanging for a few seconds as he surrendered to the kiss. Draco was so warm and tasted deliciously of the hot chocolate they had been drinking earlier. He let out a slightly shaky breath when Draco pulled back a few seconds later.

 

“Better?”

 

“You think kissing me will take away the world’s problems?”

 

“I don’t care about the rest of the world.”

 

Harry’s mouth opened in shock, allowing Draco to slide his tongue inside. His heart pounding in his ears, Harry stepped closer, moulding their bodies as close together as he could manage. That had sounded very much like a declaration of some kind, but there was no way he was going to allow himself to jump to conclusions, mostly because he needed to be able to focus completely on what was about to happen. Whatever questions he had about that statement could wait until later on, after he had gotten rid of Ginny. He slid his arms up around Draco’s shoulders, using one to hold him in place and the other to brush lightly through his hair. He let out an involuntary whimper when Draco pulled back.

 

“Draco,” Harry whispered. He dragged the vowels out slowly and felt Draco smile against his lips in response. “I–”

 

“Harry James Potter, open this fucking door right this instant!”

 

Harry gasped, stumbling backwards and breaking Draco’s grip on him. There was a slight hitch to the breath Draco took that caused Harry to want to just ignore Ginny and take Draco straight to bed again, but he knew he had to deal with this. Shaking his head to clear it, Harry moved out into the hall. Ginny burst through the door the second he opened it, rushing inside with her arms waving.

 

“I am being followed by reporters nearly every single second of the day because of you, you bastard!” She stopped just before the living room doorway and spun to face him, anger clear on her face. “How the hell am I supposed to live a normal life if I can’t do what I want? Do you expect me to go on like this forever, not having any privacy because some idiot decided that I would make a perfect front page story for their little country town newsletter? What about when I have the kids with me? Will they be subjected to the same kind of treatment just because you couldn’t keep it in your pants? You’d better have answers for me, Harry, because this is all your fault.”

 

“Oh, I’m so sorry that it’s a little difficult to find a cheap hotel room with your newfound popularity,” Harry responded without thinking.

 

Ginny stepped forward, pulled her arm back and slapped him across the face, hard. “How dare you?”

 

Harry staggered in surprise, automatically blinking to clear his vision. “How dare I tell you the truth? That I’m not the only one at fault here, that you are actually more to blame than I am? Or is it not the truth? Did you take them to expensive hotel rooms?”

 

Ginny raised her arm again, but was prevented from swinging by Draco grabbing hold of her wrist. Harry could tell he wasn’t holding her very hard, but it must have come as a shock, as all she did was gasp.

 

“Hitting a man who won’t hit back is unfair, Weasley.” Draco’s voice was cool, as was his expression. He moved slowly forward, releasing Ginny as he did and stopped directly in front of Harry. He raised a hand and brushed his fingers over the handprint that must have been red by that time. “Provoking her probably isn’t your best move, Harry.”

 

There was a warmth to the whispered words that sent a shiver through Harry’s stomach. Draco’s fingers brushed against the painful spot where Ginny had struck him and he muttered a Healing charm, adding more warmth to the feeling. Draco didn’t like to see him hurt, that was now obvious and Harry smiled in response. He flicked his wrist, dropping his wand into his hand so he could cast a subtle protection charm over Draco, just in case. The raise of a questioning eyebrow he received in response had Harry pulling a face at him.

 

“Oh, don’t mind me,” Draco announced as he moved off to stand against the wall beside the door, keeping an eye on what was happening. “Please don’t allow my presence to interrupt this charming little... domestic.”

 

He flicked Harry a glance that Harry was sure only he saw as Ginny huffed in anger and ran her hands through her hair. Now that Harry had a little more experience reading Draco’s subtle facial expressions, he could tell that there was much more that he wanted to say, but was holding back. It struck him as a little odd, but figured that it was more for his benefit than anything else, because nothing had held Draco back before when he had something to say.

 

“You never looked at me like that.”

 

Harry jumped, turning back to Ginny.”What?”

 

“You look at him the way a husband should look at a wife. The way you _should_ have been looking at me all those years.” The expression on her face held more anger than anything else, which ruined any kind of sympathy Harry might have felt for her. “I deserved much better than you, Harry. I deserved to be loved by a man I loved in return. But what did I get? To be _best friends_ with the man I loved, because that was all he was capable of giving me. Well, I’m going to take everything I can from you in payment for my patience over the years.”

 

“Your patience? You didn’t wait for me, you slept around!” Harry heard Draco sigh in resignation before Ginny advanced on him again. He was faster this time, though, casting a shield between them before Ginny could strike him again. “Is that why you’re here? To tell me you’re going to try to take the house and kids from me?”

 

“There isn’t a court in the world that would take a mother’s child from her if she can provide for them. And I believe that I am entitled to half of everything, isn’t that right?”

 

“That may be true, but if said mother can’t manage to stay in one place, or stay home at night, then that’s not a very safe environment for the kids, is it? I’ve already spoken to my lawyers, Gin. They think the custody battle will come down on my side. As for the house, you actually have no legal claim over it whatsoever. It was willed to me by the rightful heir and, due to the magical properties of the house, it is rightfully and legally mine. It will pass to the kids when I pass on because that’s the only legal way.”

 

“So what you’re trying to tell me is that after putting up with a basically sexless marriage for 16 years and a basically sexless relationship for 3 years before that, I get nothing?”

 

Harry could see the anger building in Ginny’s expression, but couldn’t work out a way to diffuse the situation. “No, what I’m telling you is that you keep everything you have earned in the past 19 years. You’ll get half ownership of the family home – or half of what it sells for if it comes to that – and you’ll get access to the kids. Since you work out of the country for most of the year, they’ll need a stable home and that is what I can offer them here. I won’t cut your access to them completely and I won’t cut your family’s access to them.”

 

Ginny was silent for a long while, causing Harry to glance nervously over to Draco. This proved to be the wrong move, however, as it only set her off again.

 

“You know what? Fuck you and fuck this. I’ll get what I want out of you if I have to go through every single lawyer in the country until I find one willing to try. I’ll make you pay. If it isn’t through money, then it will be through the kids.”

 

With that, she turned on her heel and stomped out of the house, shoving Draco on the way past. Harry moved over and wrapped an arm around Draco’s waist, steadying him when he staggered.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

Draco drew Harry into a kiss in response. “I’ll put you in touch with my lawyers.”

 

*~*

 

“You need to learn to defend yourself.”

 

Draco smiled. “I told you that that is what the lawyers are for.”

 

“Not legally, you twit; physically. Ginny could have taken you out last night and you would have just stood there and let her.”

 

Having to resist the urge to roll his eyes, Draco looked up from the book he was reading. “You were there.”

 

That seemed to give Harry pause and Draco returned to the book to allow him to collect his thoughts. He only got through another two lines before Harry tried again.

 

“While I appreciate the thought that you think I’d curse Ginny to defend you, I won’t always be there. You need to know how to do those sorts of things yourself.”

 

This time, Draco did roll his eyes. “I survived the War, Harry. I had no major injuries, considering what I went through and–”

 

“Major injures _I_ prevented you from getting, you mean?”

 

Putting the book aside, Draco looked up so he could glare properly. Harry was standing in the middle of the parlour of Grimmauld, his arms crossed across his chest and smirk firmly in place. Unwilling to fight back the wave of lust that hit him at the sight, Draco decided to fight back in a way that would satisfy them both. Stretching his legs out in front of him and his hands up over his head allowed his shirt to raise just enough so Harry caught a glimpse of the trail of pale blond hair running down into his trousers. He grinned when Harry’s eyes followed that trail and his tongue flicked out to wet his lips, seemingly unconsciously.

 

“I’ve never properly thanked you for that...”

 

Harry blinked and stepped forward. Draco’s grin widened into a proper smile just before Harry claimed his lips in a heated kiss. It seemed, however, that Harry was not to be distracted that easily.

 

“Then you can thank me by learning to defend yourself so I won’t have to worry.”

 

Draco groaned. This weekend had been exactly what he had needed after the week he had had: holed up in Grimmauld with Harry, not having to worry about anything. As much as he had grown to like her, even Lily being at her grandparent’s for the weekend had made everything seem that much more special. They had not had to watch what they said and did to each other and that kind of freedom was hard-won these days, with Harry being Lily’s main carer. Defence lessons, however, were definitely not what he had had in mind for the end of the weekend, especially considering Harry had been practically pampering him the entire weekend.

 

“What do you believe I need to know besides shield charms? Because, believe me, I mastered them during the War.”

 

Harry eyed him for a few seconds, seeming to size him up. Draco had to resist the urge to fall back behind his old defence of sneering and turning away from him under the scrutiny. A whole lifetime of pushing people away was proving a difficult habit to break, but Draco thought he was getting there. He breathed a little easier when Harry nodded and backed up to the centre of the room.

 

“Stand up and come here. I need to know what you already know and how fast your reflexes are.” His voice had changed, becoming almost detached with a hint of command to it and Draco realised that this was Harry Potter, Head Auror, not ‘his’ Harry. “I realise that you already know the basics, but there’s so much more to proper defence than simply casting a shield and hoping it works.”

 

Harry waved his wand, sending the furniture to the sides of the room when Draco stood. Despite himself, Draco discovered that he was actually quite intrigued with the new side to Harry’s personality he was being shown. He couldn’t give a damn about learning to defend himself better, but seeing more of Harry with that kind of power and command in his stance and voice was something Draco definitely wanted more of. When Harry moved to stand behind him, pressing close and guiding Draco into the stance he liked, Draco decided that maybe he could stand to have a few defence lessons if this was how they were going to go. He stayed silent, allowing Harry to take control of the situation.

 

“Alright, this’ll be a lot like duelling practice.”

 

Draco raised an eyebrow when Harry pressed closer for a few seconds. “Do you treat all of your duelling students this familiarly?”

 

“Only the ones I expect a special form of payment from.”

 

The whispered words sent a shiver up Draco’s spine, but Harry didn’t allow him to enjoy it. Moving back out in front of him, Harry set a pace that Draco had not moved at for quite a long time. He never sent any truly damaging hexes or curses towards him, but the ones he did send that Draco couldn’t block were more than bad enough. It seemed that Harry was watching him rather closely, because as soon as Draco began to think that he couldn’t last much longer, Harry called a halt to the ‘lesson’.

 

“You’re pretty good for someone with no formal training.”

 

“One learns rather quickly when there is a psychopath with a bad case of megalomania residing in the house.” Draco leant back into the chair he had collapsed into and closed his eyes, enjoying the small amused sound Harry made in response. “How many people have you trained?”

 

“There was the DA in school, but only Ginny personally after the War.” Draco fought back the urge to snarl at the idea of Harry holding that bitch the way he had held him to get him ready and merely raised an enquiring eyebrow instead. “Well, not many people thought they would need to know that kind of stuff after Voldemort died, but I knew that Ginny would need to be prepared for anything. There were rogue Death Eaters still running loose and there’s always been a section of the community who haven’t liked me. I would have never have forgiven myself if I didn’t and she had been attacked.”

 

Unable to listen to another second of how much Harry cared for the Weaselette, Draco shoved himself to his protesting feet. “Show me that stance again.”

 

Harry seemed a little surprised, but he got to his feet and moved to stand behind Draco anyway. Biting down on his tongue to prevent a smile, Draco relaxed as Harry’s warmth surrounded him. He allowed himself to be manoeuvred into the correct position. Harry was pressed fully against his back, his hands circling Draco’s wrists and hot breath puffing on the back of his neck. It was such an intimate position that Draco almost forgot that he would have to actually cast something after Harry let him go.

 

“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to, Draco.”

 

Harry’s lips were soft against Draco’s neck, sending a shiver through him again. Leaning back into Harry’s arms, Draco allowed the threatening smile to spread across his face.

 

“And what would that be?”

 

“You want me,” Harry whispered, causing Draco’s eyes to flutter closed in pleasure. “You want me so bad you can hardly stand it.”

 

Draco let out an amused huff of breath. “You sound awfully confident about that.”

 

Harry pressed even closer to Draco’s back. “Why shouldn’t I be?”

 

Harry ran his hands down Draco’s chest, sliding them around the top of the waistband of Draco’s trousers. Draco’s wand clattered to the floor when he moved his hands, one of them running along the length of Harry’s arm and the other coming up to run through his wild hair. He took a deep breath when the scent of Harry’s oaky aftershave washed over him. This was much more like what he had had in mind for the end of their weekend together. They both had to get back to reality the next morning, so spending the afternoon pleasuring each other was a much more appealing prospect than learning to defend himself. Turning so he could meet Harry’s eyes, Draco smiled: the lustful look he received just before he claimed Harry’s lips made the rest of the afternoon worth the effort.

 

“Harry...”

 

“Yes. Now.” Harry’s voice had deepened and Draco could see the pulse pounding in his throat. He followed as Harry sank down onto the hearthrug. “Please?”

 

Draco grabbed his wand and cast a cushioning charm on the rug just as Harry Vanished their clothing. The sight of having Harry lying before him, simply waiting for him, was one of the headiest feelings Draco had experienced and he smiled again. Leaning down, he began to kiss and nip his way up Harry’s thighs. This received a huff of impatience, but he ignored it. Harry had always been too impatient. In Draco’s opinion, something like sex should be savoured, especially when it featured one of the sexiest men he had ever had the privilege of being with.

 

“Harry,” he breathed against the sensitive skin of Harry’s thigh.

 

“Come here.”

 

Draco moved so he could breathe hot breath over Harry’s sac. “No.”

 

A few huffed breaths later, Harry managed to respond. “Why?”

 

Licking a slow stripe up Harry’s rapidly hardening cock caused Harry to whimper and squirm beneath him and Draco smiled again. He considered his options as he made his way slowly up Harry’s body, licking and nipping at all his hotspots.

 

“Because I like the noises you make.” This elicited a deep groan as Draco latched onto Harry’s nipple, biting gently. “And because you spent the afternoon casting jinxes at me.”

 

Harry huffed out a breathless laugh. “I’m sorry?”

 

“No, you’re not,” Draco whispered as he reached Harry’s lips. “But I could make you incredibly sorry, if I wanted to. The things I could do to you...”

 

“Alright, alright! I swear I’ll never try to protect you again, happy?”

 

Draco hummed as he settled down in between Harry’s legs. He didn’t get a chance to respond, as Harry grabbed him and shoved his tongue into Draco’s mouth, raising his hips at the same time in offering. Deciding to take pity on him, Draco took control with one hard thrust of his hips. Harry gasped, widening his legs so Draco could settle down against him properly. The kiss being broken allowed Draco to cast the charms and press slowly forward, moving at his own pace. He knew Harry’s impatience wouldn’t allow this pace to continue for long, but for the time being, he enjoyed it.

 

“Draco... I...”

 

Harry paused and Draco could see something flash through his eyes; something familiar, but he couldn’t quite place it. He knew he had seen a look very much like this one on Harry’s face before, but when and where was completely escaping him at that moment. Harry ran his fingers through Draco’s hair, obviously stalling for time. Confusion crossed his face briefly before he seemed to come to a decision about whatever it was he had been about to say. Grasping two handfuls of Draco’s hair, he forced him to keep eye contact before taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly.

 

“I love you.” Draco’s mind went completely blank and he froze, staring down at Harry in shock. “I know it’s early, but you deserve to know. I – I’ve never felt anything this intense for anyone else before. That’s why I need you to stay safe: I don’t think I could stand it if something happened to you because of this – because of us – and I hadn’t done anything to prevent it.”

 

Before Draco could gather his senses, he was pulled down into a kiss that held so much desperation, he whimpered in response. Dragging his tongue over the roof of Harry’s mouth, Draco surrendered to his instincts, moving automatically to please his partner. Harry didn’t allow him to break the kiss, however, no matter how many times he tried. He was a lot stronger than Draco and could apparently overpower him quite easily when he wanted to. This made Draco’s position a lot more difficult, as he knew Harry needed to know that he reciprocated his feelings, but was unable to voice anything other than the occasional groan of pleasure.

 

_Fine, if that’s the way he wants it..._

 

Draco thrust in harder, angling his hips so he hit Harry’s prostate. He slipped his hands in between them, pinching one of Harry’s nipples and using the other to stroke Harry’s cock. If he wasn’t going to be allowed to voice his feelings, he would damn well show them another way. He knew exactly how to get Harry off and would do so if that was the only way to get the annoying bastard to listen to him. Giving up on Harry’s nipple, he sent that hand up to stroke lightly along the sensitive skin behind Harry’s left ear.

 

“Oh, _fuck_ , Draco... I – I’m...”

 

Harry didn’t get to finish the sentence, as Draco twisted his hand, forcing his orgasm out of him. Harry’s back arched and he let out a shout as he came, his body spasming over and over again. Watching intently, Draco held on for as long as he could before letting himself go. He buried his face into the crook of Harry’s neck and thrust in one last time, bringing his orgasm on with a stifled groan. When he came back to his senses, it was to find Harry stroking a trembling hand down his back.

 

“Harry?”

 

“I’m sorry, but you needed to know. I – I’ll understand if–”

 

Moving quickly, Draco claimed Harry’s lips in another kiss. “Don’t you dare try to play martyr with me, Harry.” He raised himself up on his elbows so he could look into Harry’s eyes. “I love you, too, you twit.”

 

Astonishment crossed Harry’s face for a few seconds, before being replaced with a level of joy that Draco hadn’t seen before. “‘Twit’, really?” Harry laughed. “You’re such a romantic.”

 

“Bite me, Potter.”


	24. Chapter 24

_Draco loves me._

 

Harry had spent the rest of Sunday on an incredible high and it continued on into Monday. It had been unbelievably difficult for him to allow Draco to leave that morning and he had made certain that he had left satisfied. Despite Astoria’s accidentally giving away what Harry had needed to know on Saturday, he had been terrified of being laughed at when he finally confessed that he had fallen for Draco. He had spent the rest of Saturday and most of Sunday working up the courage say something to him. He had tried to organise exactly what it was he wanted to say in his mind, but had discovered that the second he tried to bring it up, everything went flying out of his mind and he wound up simply staring at Draco with what he assumed was a slightly stunned look. In the end he had simply blurted it and panicked. Draco had seemed completely shocked and it was that which had prompted Harry to not let him respond. He had needed those few moments of not knowing what Draco’s response was going to be to prepare himself.

 

Draco Malfoy _loves me._

 

Of course, ‘I love you, too, you twit’ hadn’t exactly been the response he had been expecting. Not that he had been expecting reciprocation of any kind. Actually, discovering that Draco loved him then being insulted in the exact same breath was pretty typical of the two of them, now that he thought of it. And thinking about it he had been. He knew that he had been in a complete daze and was actually quite grateful that he wasn’t out in the field anymore, because he was fairly certain his distraction would have gotten both he and his partner killed. The rest of the team had tried to seem disappointed when he had informed them that he had taken a half day from work so he could go see the lawyers Draco had recommended, but he could tell that they were just glad to be rid of him. Any time one of the team was distracted translated into a bad day for the rest of them and for that team member to be Harry – who was supposed to be running the entire Department – it threw everything and everyone else off.

 

Shaking his head to clear it as he neared the address of Draco’s lawyers, Harry took a deep breath. If he could manage to get these lawyers to work well with his own – whom he didn’t want to throw over just because Draco had recommended these new ones – then he thought that he would be practically guaranteed a win in the court. Draco’s lawyers had much more experience working with the rich and famous than his own did and therefore would be able to help shield the children from some of the press that this would generate. He gasped as he felt a hand close around his wrist and drag him into a small alcove just before the entrance of the lawyer’s office.

 

Warm lips closed over his and the smell of Draco’s expensive cologne washed over him, sending his mind wandering to places he really shouldn’t be thinking about in public. Tangling one hand through the soft strands of Draco’s hair, Harry held him tight as he was pressed back into the wall in the dark alcove. They had only parted a few hours before, but it felt much longer and Harry’s pulse increased with the knowledge that he had him back again so soon. This tug towards Draco, it was like nothing else he had ever felt before and he was craving it more and more. Under any other circumstances, that would worry him, but this...

 

_I definitely love him as well..._

 

“Draco,” he whispered as the kiss was broken, drawing the vowels out again in the way he knew would send a shiver down Draco’s spine. “You’re not supposed to be here; you’ve got work.”

 

Harry smiled as Draco hummed in response. He pressed Harry close to the wall again for a few seconds, their bodies moulded close together. When Draco took a deep breath, held it for a few seconds, and then let it out slowly, Harry felt a jolt of desire lance through him that threatened to keep him in that alcove much longer than he was currently looking at. Now that Harry knew to watch for them, Draco’s attempts to compose himself were much more obvious and they caused desire to flood through his veins. Just knowing that he had the power to make Draco’s control waver so easily was an incredible rush and Harry smiled. He knew Draco would be more than willing to satisfy any need he had – or at least, that was what he hoped – but he also knew that if they spent that much time together, he would be late for his appointment. Draco pulled back a few seconds later, obviously having composed himself to his strict public standards.

 

“There was no way I was going to miss seeing this.”

 

Draco’s voice was warm and soft as he ran his hands along the collar of the formal robes Harry was wearing. Harry knew that there was no way he could have known what Harry would choose to wear to this meeting  and so had to assume that he was being checked-up on. He grinned when Draco’s hands ran up and through his hair and Draco frowned in response.

 

“How is it possible for someone to have hair that is impossible to tame at your age?” Magic washed over Harry and Draco’s frown deepened. “You must have the only magic-proof hair in the entire world, Potter.”

 

Harry leant in close enough so that their lips touched when he spoke. “You like it.” The huff of a frustrated breath over his lips had Harry grinning. “As much as I want to stay here so you can play with my hair, I have an appointment to get to.”

 

His grin widened when Draco mumbled something about it not being _playing_ as he backed off, his fingers slowly sliding out of Harry’s hair. The sound of voices reached them from out in the hall and Harry watched as a mask fell over Draco’s features. Gone was the soft expression that Harry associated with _Draco_ these days, replaced with the hard, pointed features that had been _Malfoy_ for so many years. A small jab of disappointment hit him, but he suppressed it. He knew Draco held the rest of the world off with those icy expressions and he was incredibly thankful that they were no longer directed at him.

 

“Alright, look. There’ll be three of them when you go in. Richardson is the old man; he’ll try to convince you that you don’t stand a chance. Keep pressing with him, but never ignore what he says. Macgregor is the young man; he’ll play nice, but don’t underestimate him. There is much more to him than you’ll see in the first meeting. Hunter is the woman. It’s probably best if you only speak to her when spoken to, because she’ll try to use anything you say against you in the future. Because this is such an old firm, they’ll try to convince you that there is absolutely no way you can win. They don’t need your money, but what they do need is to know that you have the conviction to stick through the trial. Show them that you mean business and they’ll take the case, no questions asked.” Harry stood and stared at him for a few seconds, wondering exactly what it was he had gotten himself into. “There’s no need to worry, though: they’d never turn down the Saviour.”

 

There was something about hearing that ridiculous epithet from Draco in that tone of voice that sent a cold shiver down Harry’s spine. They had – obviously – settled their differences in the first few weeks of being together, but it brought back bad memories; ones that Harry would much prefer to keep buried. Stepping closer again, he grabbed Draco’s collar and dragged him into another kiss, trying to soften him again.

 

“Harry...” Harry knew by the sound of Draco’s voice that it had worked, but there was an edge there that told him this was not the time or place to get into this. “I–”

 

“It’s alright, I know.” He released his grip on Draco’s clothing and stepped back until his back hit the wall behind him again. “Go; you’re too distracting.”

 

Draco cocked his head, eyeing Harry with what appeared to be amusement. “You’re such a romantic,” he quipped before twisting on the spot and disappearing with a small pop.

 

Leaning back against the wall, Harry took a few deep breaths. His stomach felt as though an entire hoard of butterflies had taken up residence and he was certain that it wasn’t just nerves about the coming meeting. He was also certain that Draco had worked out just how much he affected him, both in the sense of sending him insane with lust and by calming him down. How else would he have known that showing up here today would help Harry to forget some of his worry about the meeting?

 

A loud clock chiming from out in the street caused Harry to jump. He ran his hands through his hair and over his clothes again in an attempt to not appear as though Draco had just molested him before stepping out of the alcove. His thoughts fell towards the coming meeting and he felt his professional persona slip over him. There was no way he was going to give these people the impression that he knew nothing about what was coming in the next few weeks and months and if presenting himself as the competent Head Auror was going to help him show that, then that was what he would do. He took a deep breath before entering the offices and let it out slowly.

 

It turned out that Draco had been right about a number of things. He was greeted in the front office by a woman who took him through hallways that appeared to belong to a building that had been built centuries ago, giving credence to Draco’s assertion of how old the firm was. Harry knew from his years of experience with the Ministry that leading someone the long way through official-looking halls was meant to intimidate them, so he was able to keep control over his nerves for the time being. The secretary led him to a set of large oak doors with a brass knocker that she slammed against the wood.

 

“Enter.”

 

The voice belonged to an older man; Richardson, if Draco was correct. Harry offered the secretary a small smile as she bowed him in and received an icy look in return. Having to resist the urge to roll his eyes, Harry smiled again as he turned to face the three people in the room. Seated behind a long table in front of the far wall were the three people Draco had described: an older man in black formal robes, a woman in what looked to be the female version of the older man’s black formal robes, and a younger man who looked out of place next to the other two in his deep green robes. Harry knew from experience that the first impressions people gave off were entirely on purpose and these seemed to have been very carefully crafted to fit specific purposes. His Auror training came to the fore as he eyed each of them in turn, learning as much as he could about them in the few seconds before they acknowledged him.

 

“Ah, Mr. Potter,” the older man greeted him, standing so he could shake Harry’s hand. “It has been highly recommended to us by a long-standing client that we take your case.”

 

Harry smiled properly this time, unable to suppress the image of Draco storming into the office and demanding that they listen to him. “Mr. Richardson, I presume? I’m very grateful to you for taking the time to see me.”

 

The younger man – Macgregor – was the next to greet him, standing and smiling as he shook Harry’s hand. By the distracted smile and almost nervous tone to his voice, Harry figured he was trying to come across as much younger than he was. Admittedly, on anyone with less experience in reading people, it would have worked wonders. It was the fact that Harry had had his training drilled into him from the very first day he had shown up as an eighteen year old trainee that was the man’s downfall here: he was far from the best at being able to read people, but this man was easy for him.

 

“Peter Macgregor,” the man introduced himself, his Scottish accent obviously softened by years of living and working in England. “So nice to meet you, Mr. Potter.”

 

“Likewise,” Harry murmured before turning to the woman. “Ms. Hunter.”

 

It took her a few seconds to look up from the stack of paperwork she was apparently busy with – telling him he wasn’t important enough to stop working for – but when she did, Harry almost wished she hadn’t. She was icy blonde, like Draco, with pale blue eyes and pointed features. The overall effect of her good-looks with her clothing was striking, but it did nothing for Harry. Her hair was obviously not naturally that light and Harry thought to himself that it actually washed her out too much. With her pale skin and eyes, she should have gone darker if she wanted to appear intimidating. It was that last thought as she finally stood and shook his hand that pulled Harry up.

 

_How did I ever believe I was straight? She’s quite good-looking and I obviously like blonds, but I’m more focussed on the fact that her hair colour washes her features out..._

 

That little revelation aside, the meeting went quite well by Harry’s standards. Draco had been correct about the way the three of them treated him: if he had had no warning about what to expect from them, then he definitely would have expected them to turn him down. It was plainly obvious that they didn’t need his money and that they were highly picky when it came to which clients to take on and rightfully so. They had been winning cases for families like the Malfoys for centuries, so why would they need to take on any new clients? It was Harry’s job that day to show them why.

 

“I’m aware that you have been working with the Malfoy family for many generations and other old wizarding families for just as long. You’ve had experience in all kinds of law suits and have won most of them. What I’m looking for is someone who can work well with my own lawyers, who know my case and family well. This is probably going to be a fairly lengthy court case, because my wife will want to try to drag out every single little detail. The firm I need will be able to help me shield my children from the press as much as possible, as well as being able to prevent whichever firm Ginny goes through from taking my children away from me. They are my main priority here and if you don’t think it’s possible for you to get me custody of them, then I’m afraid that I may have wasted your time here today.”

 

He sat back in the comfortable chair they had provided for him and folded his hands in his lap to prevent himself from fidgeting. The lawyers were silent for a while, each reading through their notes they had been taking over the course of the afternoon. Harry merely watched, sometimes glancing around the room, giving them the time they apparently needed. He knew there was no point in rushing them, as it would probably just piss them off. Eventually, Ms. Hunter raised her head and, after glancing down the table at the other two, nodded and met Harry’s eyes.

 

“We may have a slight conflict of interest here, Mr. Potter,” she began, causing Harry to frown. “We cannot represent both sides of a case.”

 

Harry’s mind went straight to Draco, wondering why she thought the case was going to affect him in any way. It took a couple of seconds for him to realise that she was referring to Ginny and he cleared his throat, fighting back an embarrassed blush.

 

“Ginny is your client?”

 

“Not yet she isn’t, no,” Mr. Richardson replied, leaning forward so his elbows rested on the table. “We have an appointment with her tomorrow morning, however. Are your children your only concerns in this case, Mr. Potter?”

 

Draco’s voice washed through Harry’s mind at that moment: _what they do need is to know that you have the conviction to stick through the trial. Show them that you mean business and they’ll take the case, no questions asked._ He took a few seconds to fight back the rest of the embarrassment before answering.

 

“What I need, Mr. Richardson, is to make absolutely certain that whichever firm I decide to go through will be both willing and able to see this entire case through to the end. What I don’t need is someone who will get me one thing at the sacrifice of another. My children are my main priority, yes, but I also need to make certain that Ginny doesn’t take me for everything else I own. Grimmauld Place is safe, as the deed is passed on through magical contract. Since I am retiring soon, however, if Ginny manages to take my bank account from me, then I will have nothing to live off. I need the security of knowing that whoever is fighting for me won’t give up.”

 

The three of them leant in close to each other, murmuring softly. Harry didn’t bother pretending to glace around the room this time, but sat watching them intently. He offered up a small smile when Ms. Hunter straightened and looked him in the eyes.

 

“We thank you for your time today, Mr. Potter. Obviously, we will make our decision tomorrow after speaking to Mrs. Potter–” The hair on the back of Harry’s neck stood up when he heard Ginny referred to as his wife from anyone but him. “–and we shall let you know tomorrow afternoon which side we have chosen to represent.”

 

Harry stood at the same time they did and offered his hand to each of them. The secretary was waiting outside the room to escort him back through the offices, but he didn’t pay much attention to where he was going. Ginny was obviously trying to play hardball with him by asking these people to represent her. Well, he figured, if she wanted a fight, then that was exactly what he would give her.

 

*~*

 

“Did you know that the papers are offering me money and trips to Ibiza to give them information on you and Harry?”

 

Draco smiled as he turned from the potion he had been trying to make. His distraction that afternoon could be placed squarely on that fact that Harry was currently in a meeting with his lawyers, where they would decide if they would represent him against the Weaselette, but he couldn’t find the distraction annoying. It was strange, but now that he knew that his feelings were reciprocated, he had relaxed a lot. The fact that Harry was constantly on his mind wasn’t worrying him anymore and he put it down to the fact that he had found what he was looking for. He had wanted someone who was willing to settle down, who could accept him for who he was and he had found that in Harry. Astoria grinned back at him as she made her way into his workroom.

 

“Did you accept it? I could do with a holiday.”

 

“If you think I’d take you with me, then you’re much more delusional than I first thought.”

 

Draco waved his hand, casting a stasis charm over the potion ingredients and followed Astoria over to the chairs set up at the back of the room. “I think I may be insulted.”

 

“Oh, please,” she snorted. “You’ve already found yours, maybe in Ibiza I’d find mine.”

 

Draco ducked his head, hiding the small smile that crossed his face. Harry loved him. He was still trying to get his head around that fact and had yet to tell Astoria about this new development. It was something that he wanted to keep to himself for a little while; a secret shared only by he and Harry. He knew it wouldn’t be a secret for long, but for the time being, he would allow it to continue to warm him whenever he thought of it.

 

“He’s at the lawyers offices today, in an appointment with the partners.”

 

“You gave him the address of your family lawyers?”

 

He could hear a combination of surprise and amusement in her voice as he raised his head to meet her eyes after finally regaining some of his control. “Is there a reason I shouldn’t have?”

 

Astoria merely sat and stared at him for a while, an enigmatic smile playing at the edge of the mouth. He raised an eyebrow at her when she began to laugh.

 

“You’ve got it so bad for him,” she gasped as soon as she could speak again. “Those lawyers have been your family’s security blanket against the world for centuries and now you’ve told him to go to them? Don’t you see, Draco? You want to protect him and this is one of the easiest ways to make sure that happens.”

 

He blinked, slightly stunned at her assumption. Had this recommendation been a subconscious attempt for him to protect Harry? His stomach squirmed for a few seconds, but it wasn’t an unpleasant sensation. He glanced up when Astoria stood and moved so she could cup his face in her hands.

 

“If you get any more adorable, I may have to change my mind about the willing divorce and try to keep you for myself.”

 

She bent to place a soft kiss on his forehead before leaving the workroom, still chuckling quietly to herself. Draco sat and stared at the door for a long time after she left. He had never been in love before and so had no idea whether it would affect his behaviour, but this seemed to be an indication that it would. If he had been acting unconsciously to protect Harry, then maybe his actions would eventually become obvious to more than Astoria. The idea left him feeling strange, unsure if this was a good thing or a bad thing. His entire life had been spent in an attempt to not allow anyone to know what he was thinking or feeling, but apparently Harry was the one man capable of changing that.

 

He shook his head as he stood up again to try to focus on his potion making. Whether his actions were obvious to others yet was irrelevant, as he and Harry hadn’t been seen together in public yet. That would change that Friday night when they attended the Ministry Ball, but he was determined to ignore the worry he associated with that thought. For the time being, he was content to simply enjoy the warmth that spread through him at the thought of Harry.


	25. Chapter 25

Nerves rushed through Draco’s stomach as he stepped out of the floo into Grimmauld Place. He had no idea if Harry would already know if the lawyers had decided in his favour or Ginevra’s, but he was fairly confident that he knew which side they would fall on. Fortunately, he didn’t have to wait long to find out; he was almost knocked back into the fire when Harry pounced on him.

 

“What–”

 

Draco’s exclamation was cut off when Harry’s lips descended on his in a harsh kiss. Assuming Harry’s enthusiasm indicated something good had happened, Draco wound his arms around Harry’s waist and pulled him closer. The move seemed to slow Harry down a bit and the kiss softened, reducing the risk of Draco being bitten accidentally. Draco smiled into the kiss when Harry hummed and slid his arms up and around his shoulders, holding him steady as he began to move backwards. They stopped when Harry’s legs met the lounge, but Harry seemed reluctant to break the kiss. More than willing to just stand there with Harry in his arms, Draco slid his hands up the back of his shirt, enjoying the feeling of the strong muscles beneath his fingers. He could feel Harry relaxing slowly and it sent a warm rush of pleasure through his stomach to know that it was him who was able to have that effect on Harry. He broke the kiss and opened his mouth to ask what had happened, but Harry cut him off by pulling him down so he could suck his earlobe into his mouth.

 

Smiling as Harry began to slowly nibble down from his ear along his jaw, Draco raised his head to allow him better access to his throat. If this was what Harry wanted, then who was he to deny him? His pulse kicked up a few notches when Harry reached the pounding point in the base of his throat and sucked hard, no doubt creating a deep purple bruise that he would have to Heal later on.

 

There was something so incredibly erotic about allowing someone to have that kind of power over him and Draco’s body began to respond almost immediately. The kind of trust that he was putting in Harry was something that he had never given to anyone else. Sure, his past partners had had their tongues all over him – including inside him – but this felt different. Doing this with Harry carried implications with it that sent desire crashing through Draco’s entire body. He let out a gasp as Harry moved to nibble his way along his collarbone.

 

“Harry...”

 

Harry moved quickly, placing his hands on either side of Draco’s face and pulling him into a soft kiss. “They said yes. They’ll be able to work with my lawyers to help protect the kids from the press and Ginny has to find someone else.” Harry brushed his thumbs over Draco’s cheekbones, smiling up into his eyes. “Everything’s going to be fine and it’s all because of you.”

 

Biting his tongue to prevent himself from bursting Harry’s happy little bubble, Draco merely smiled back and leant in to claim his lips again. He knew that Harry must know that there was so much more to come from this case than just finding the right lawyers, but this wasn’t the time to open that discussion. Pushing Harry backwards, Draco held tight to him as he laid him down on the lounge. They didn’t quite manage the move without breaking the kiss, but Draco took advantage of the opportunity. Removing his wand from his sleeve, he widened the lounge so it was easier for the two of them to lie down. Seeing Harry waiting for him, his eyes clouded with lust, sent Draco’s heart racing and he wasted little time in stripping himself of his robes. Harry had barely tossed the last of his clothing onto the floor at Draco’s feet before Draco moved, covering Harry’s body with his own and pressing him into the lounge. Harry opened his mouth, probably to cast the preparation charms, but Draco stopped him by placing a hand over his mouth.

 

“Not this time.”

 

Harry shot him a confused look, but complied when Draco began to manoeuvre him into an easier position. Leaning down, Draco trailed his lips along Harry’s jaw, causing his head to tip backwards against the armrest. He hooked his hands beneath Harry’s knees, bending them so he could settle between his legs more comfortably. A quick charm gave Draco the handful of lube he required and he began to slowly coat Harry’s entrance with his fingers.

 

“What are you... _Oh!_ ”

 

Draco smiled at Harry’s exclamation when his finger breached him. It wasn’t much compared to what he usually took, but Draco figured Harry’s reaction was more surprise than anything else. He paused anyway, just in case it was too uncomfortable for him.

 

“Do you want me to stop?”

 

“No! I – er – I like it.” Harry paused so he could wriggle on Draco’s finger, taking it deeper inside himself. “I trust you. Don’t stop.”

 

The amount of willpower it took for Draco to not just cast the charms and take him there and then was surprising to him. Love was one thing – a beautiful, magnificent, amazing thing, but still just a thing – but trust... Love was a chemical reaction that Draco knew was damn near impossible to prevent when they had been doing the kinds of things they had been doing together. Trust was willingly given, though; Harry had actually consciously made the decision that he was worthy of placing his trust in and if that wasn’t the greatest miracle that Draco had ever heard...

 

“Draco?”

 

He jumped at the sound of Harry’s voice but was unwilling to explain why he had frozen. Leaning down, he opened Harry’s lips with his tongue. It seemed to be enough to distract Harry from any line of questioning he had been about to make, which Draco was thankful for. As much as he loved Harry – and he did – there were simply some things that he thought he would always be uncomfortable with showing.

 

Balancing on one elbow, he ran his tongue all around Harry’s mouth, enjoying the small noises and movements he was causing. This was such a strange difference from their normal, almost frantic pace that it was causing Draco’s heart to beat wildly and his skin to tingle with anticipation, despite knowing what was coming. Harry broke the kiss when Draco slowly slid a second finger inside him and began to scissor them.

 

“Fuck, that’s... That’s...”

 

“Good?” _Please say yes..._

 

Draco reached to remove Harry’s glasses, which were becoming fogged. It allowed him a clear view of the desire that was darkening Harry’s eyes and he smiled when Harry blinked up at him.

 

“Mmm...”

 

Harry wriggled again, pushing down on Draco’s fingers when he scissored them. Harry’s reactions reminded Draco so much of someone experiencing their first time and it was sending his head spinning with lust. Needing to lessen some of the stimulation he was receiving, Draco began to slowly make his way down Harry’s chest, nibbling and sucking on his salty skin. He continued to thrust and scissor his fingers, slowly opening Harry up for him. Hooking them once, he managed to brush against Harry’s prostate, making him buck upwards. Draco grinned against Harry’s stomach, but didn’t do it again, despite repeated requests. If he was going to do this, then he was going to do it properly and not allow Harry to come until he wanted him to. By the time Draco reached Harry’s straining cock, he was beginning to need some other kind stimulation himself. Unfortunately, he knew the third finger would hurt, so he suppressed his own need for the time being to focus on giving Harry as much pleasure as he could. The flicked his tongue over the leaking head of Harry’s cock and grinned when Harry’s hands landed in his hair.

 

“Please, Draco, I need...” Harry stopped and huffed out a breath, but didn’t continue.

 

“Need?”

 

Draco watched as Harry shook his head, his eyes squeezed shut. He could see his chest rising and falling rapidly as he panted and had to smile.

 

“I don’t know,” Harry responded. “More; just _more_.”

 

Licking a stripe up Harry’s cock earned Draco a deep groan and a shift of Harry’s hips towards him. “More of this?”

 

“Christ, Malfoy, if you don’t fuck me soon, I’ll do it myself.”

 

The strain in Harry’s voice had Draco chuckling as he removed his fingers from him. Even if he hadn’t gotten as far as he would have liked, it was enough. Simply knowing Harry was open to exploring different aspects of his sexuality with him was more of a turn-on than it probably should have been, but Draco put that down to the fact that he was in rather desperate need of satisfaction himself at that point. He silently cast the charms to properly prepare Harry as he made his way back up towards his lips. The rise and fall of Harry’s chest as he nibbled along his collarbone had Draco smiling.

 

“Looking forward to this, were you?”

 

Harry grabbed Draco’s hair in both hands and dragged him up so their eyes met. “You are the most frustrating man I have ever met.” He hooked his ankles behind Draco’s back and began to rock his hips. “I want you _now_ , Draco.”

 

Unable to resist with Harry’s voice as rough as it was at that moment, Draco settled himself against Harry’s body properly. Staring down into Harry’s eyes as he pressed forward carefully, Draco knew he was a lot more worked up than he really should have been at that moment. His mind raced as pleasure rushed through him, trying to work out exactly why it was that Harry was able to bring him to the brink so quickly, but there was no real explanation he could come to other than the fact that this relationship was the satisfaction of many years of built-up frustration. His head fell forward so their foreheads rested together the second he came to a rest against Harry’s body.

 

“Harry...”

 

“I love you, Draco, but I swear I could just murder you sometimes.”

 

Laughter bubbled up out of Draco as Harry nipped at his bottom lip. It seemed as though Harry had hit on exactly the feelings that Draco had so much trouble expressing a lot of the time, but he didn’t get time to respond, as Harry squeezed his muscles around him in an obvious request for more. The pressure that had been building inside Draco threatened to spill over as he began to move, falling into a steady rhythm. He worked his hand down between them so he could stroke his still-lubed hand along Harry’s straining cock and received a jerk of Harry’s hips in response. With Harry moaning and wriggling beneath him, Draco thought it a wonder that he ever managed to hold on as long as he did and this time was no exception.

 

“Fuck, Draco, I... Gods, I – I can’t... I need... have to...”

 

Draco smiled and angled his hips, trying to hit Harry’s prostate. He knew that was probably all that Harry needed to reach orgasm and was more than willing to have him finish soon. It took a few tries, but when Draco managed it, he knew it had been worth the effort.

 

“ _Christ_ , Draco, I...”

 

Harry never finished the thought, as he began spurting his release between the two of them. Draco held on for as long as he could with Harry’s muscles contracting around him. When he finally let go, Harry surprised him by wrapping him in his arms and holding him steady as his body spasmed in pleasure. Being cocooned in warmth and Harry’s scent as he slowly came down from the high of orgasm was something Draco knew he would never get tired of and he smiled as Harry cast cleansing charms over the two of them. Nestling down on top of Harry as they both tried to catch their breath, Draco allowed his lips to brush against the shell of Harry’s ear.

 

“I love you, too.”

 

*~*

 

Harry had no idea what time it was when he finally came to again. He also had no idea what it was that had woken him until he realised that the house wards were shimmering, letting him know they had sensed someone Apparating close-by. Scrambling for his wand on the coffee table behind him, he accidentally nearly knocked Draco to the floor.

 

“What the fuck?”

 

Harry cut Draco off by tapping him on the head with his wand, keying him into the wards properly rather than just giving him access to the house. “You feel that shimmer? Someone has Apparated nearby and is most likely coming here.” Harry grinned when Draco glared at him. “Unless you want whoever it is to see you completely naked, I’d suggest getting dressed.”

 

He cast refreshing charms over the both of them and rose to begin dressing as quickly as he could. It wasn’t long after he had finished lacing his shoes that the front door was flung open and he heard the sound of Lily’s footsteps rushing inside.

 

“Dad!”

 

Harry moved out into the hallway with a last glance back to see that Draco had only just managed to dress in time. He shot him a grin and received a roll of Draco’s eyes in response. Lily ran into his arms the second she spotted him.

 

“Dad, Mum says that you aren’t getting divorced anymore.”

 

Confusion rushed through Harry’s chest, followed swiftly by something that felt very similar to fear that trickled down his spine. “What?”

 

Lily leant back in his arms so she could look at him properly. Harry could see confusion and worry on her face and that piled anger at Ginny in on top of everything else roiling around in him.

 

“She said that you and Draco are just going to be friends now and that you and her are going to be married properly from now on.” Lily curled her hands into the collar of Harry’s shirt, a frown crossing her face. “Dad, I don’t understand.”

 

Harry opened his mouth to reassure her, but closed it again soon after, because he didn’t understand either. How was he supposed to explain something to Lily if he didn’t have the full explanation himself? Glancing behind him, he saw Draco standing just in front of the lounge, confusion clear on his face. Harry turned back towards him, but was prevented from speaking by Ginny’s arrival.

 

“That’s right, baby, how does it sound now you know your parents are going to stay married?”

 

Ginny’s voice was sickly sweet and it sent a shiver of revulsion up Harry’s spine. He glanced back to Draco, who was staring at him with what appeared to be a mix of disgust and disbelief.

 

“Draco–”

 

“Won’t be a part of your life at all from now on in, Harry. You’ve had your fun and I’ve had mine, but now we’re going to sit down and sort this out.”

 

This was definitely something Lily did not need to hear. Moving away from Ginny, who had stopped just inside the front door so she could hang her coat up, Harry made his way over to Draco. He slid Lily down to the floor, but kept hold of her hand.

 

“I’m sorry,” he began, but paused when Draco held a hand up.

 

“How about I take Lily upstairs with me?”

 

The responding rush of gratitude nearly overwhelmed Harry and he was sure it showed on his face when Draco shot him an amused look. “Thank you.”

 

Draco leant in close as Lily moved off into the hallway without him. “If that bitch tries anything, I reserve the right to curse her.”

 

Harry was sure that the glare he received from Ginny when he moved back out into the hallway was because of the dopey smile on his face that he had been unable to prevent as he watched Draco follow Lily upstairs. The fact that Lily had taken to Draco so quickly was a huge relief for Harry, because he really did want his kids to get along with the man he loved. Any warm feelings he had been getting from watching Draco and Lily dissolved immediately when he turned to face Ginny properly.

 

“What is this about?”

 

“You’re not going to invite your wife in to sit down?”

 

Harry only just managed to stop himself from rolling his eyes. “No. I’m going to stand here in the hall and try to prevent my soon-to-be _ex_ -wife from destroying the relationship I want to be in. I don’t want you, Ginny.”

 

“Don’t be so stupid, Harry,” Ginny scoffed and moved past him into the living room anyway, completely ignoring what he had just said. “Of course you want me; you’ve always wanted me. Why else would you have put up with the kind of relationship we had for so long? You love me, even if you can’t see it at the moment.”

 

Harry merely stood and stared at her in disbelief as she settled herself down on the lounge. He actually felt shame trickle down his spine that it took him so long to work out just why she was there, declaring her supposed undying love for him on the lounge he and Draco had just defiled. He cast a glance back up the stairs to make sure Lily really was out of earshot before following her into the living room.

 

“So you lose the lawyers you wanted and all of a sudden you change your mind about the divorce? Convenient.”

 

Something unreadable flashed across Ginny’s face, but it was covered quickly. “That has nothing to do with this. You love me, I know you do. We can’t continue to put our children through this; it’s ridiculous and pointless.” She paused to run her fingers through her hair and shoot Harry a look that at one time would have told him he was about to get lucky. “I don’t care if you’re bisexual, Harry. Maybe we could even spice things up a bit, hmm? We could bring someone else in every now and then. I know there are a lot of women who find you very attractive.”

 

Harry took an unconscious step backwards as disbelief washed through him. His mouth opened and closed a few times, but no sound came out. She wanted him to have a threesome with her _and_ _another woman?_ Had she not listened to a single thing he had said over the past few months? Even if he was willing to throw Draco over, it wouldn’t be for a _woman_.

 

“Ginny, _I’m gay_ ,” he said slowly, hoping that she would hear him this time.

 

“Oh come on, Harry,” she scoffed again, this time with a sceptical look. “We’ve been together for 19 years and have three children together: you can’t be gay.”

 

A combination of anger, frustration and a strong desire to shake her until she listened to him all crowded through Harry’s chest in response and he clenched his hands by his side to prevent himself from following through with the last of those. He took a few deep breaths to calm the anger building inside him and waited for his heart rate to decrease before attempting to explain to Ginny once again why this wasn’t going to work.

 

“You cannot come in here and simply dismiss my sexuality like that, Ginny. You and I both know that this relationship hasn’t been a real relationship in the true sense of the word since day one. I understand that you’re angry with me, but continuing on in the same way we were before all of this blew up isn’t going to work anymore. I can’t live a lie any longer. Draco is who I want to be with and I am going to be with him whether you like the idea or not. You losing the lawyers you wanted isn’t going to change my mind about that and neither is you offering yourself to me.” The unidentifiable emotion that had flashed across Ginny’s face appeared again and Harry recognised it as the same kind of anger that he had seen in the past that had led to her slapping him. His hand moved unconsciously to cover the holster on the side of his jeans where his wand rested. “I have to ask you to leave.”

 

“You disgust me,” she spat at him, the anger now showing through on her face properly. “How I ever let you touch me is beyond me.”

 

Harry watched as she stood and stomped back out into the hallway. He had a feeling that this was all going too easily and her next words seemed to confirm that suspicion.

 

“The Ministry Ball is this Friday, right? I look forward to it so much each year.”

 

By the time Harry made it out to the hall, she had already exited the house, leaving the door wide open behind her. He sighed as he closed it softly. That had been one of the strangest encounters he had ever had in his life and he had to wonder exactly what the point of it was as he made his way slowly upstairs to where he knew Draco was. Why had Ginny even bothered to come there if all she was going to try to do was convince him to not divorce her? She had to have known that it was a failed attempt before she had even tried, so why... A stark sense of sorrow filled him completely when the sound of Lily’s laugh reached him. She couldn’t have gone to all that trouble to simply dump Lily on him for the week, could she? His steps slowed as he neared Lily’s bedroom and he peeked around the door.

 

Lily and Draco were sitting on the purple shag rug on the floor of Lily’s room, a potions book spread out between them. The remnants of the anger at Ginny faded little by little as Harry stood watching his lover interact with his daughter. Lily was bent over the book, reading out what it said and every now and then, Draco would interrupt, obviously telling her a better way to create whatever it was that she was reading about. He watched as Lily made a correction according to what Draco had said and warmth spread through him, starting from his stomach and spreading outwards. His children and Draco were the most important parts of his life and it was vital for him to know that they could get along.

 

“Harry?” Draco’s voice was soft and warm, causing Harry to smile at him as he moved into the room.

 

“Dad, where... Where’s Mum?”

 

The warmth left Harry almost as soon as it had appeared at the sound of the disappointment in Lily’s voice. He knelt down on the rug so he was eye-to-eye with her.

 

“I’m sorry, Lil, but your Mum had to leave.”

 

Pain shot through his chest as the first tears fell down Lily’s face. He moved to scoop her up in his arms, holding her tight when she began to sob.

 

“She – she doesn’t love me any m-more! I d-didn’t do anyth-thing wrong and sh-she doesn’t love me!”

 

Holding her tight to his chest, Harry could only murmur reassurances that he was sure Lily didn’t believe anymore. Glancing up into Draco’s eyes, Harry saw all the sympathy there that he currently was in great need of himself, but he held off so he could make sure Lily was going to be alright. Moving around the room, he bounced her and rubbed his hand across her shoulders in the same way he had to soothe her when she had been a very young child. When he turned back towards the door, Draco mimed drinking to him and he nodded. He was unsure that having something to drink would help to calm her, but at this stage, he was willing to try almost anything. It took longer than he had hoped for Lily’s tears to subside, but by the time Draco returned with three mugs of what smelled like hot chocolate, Harry was sitting on the edge of Lily’s bed with her in his lap, hiccupping.

 

“Here we are, Princess. My Father used to make this for me when I was upset over something when I was a child,” Draco murmured as he knelt down in front of Harry and Lily, handing over one of the mugs of chocolate and sending the other two hovering over to the bedside table. “How would you feel about a sleepover at the Manor tonight?”

 

Lily hiccupped again, but lowered the mug from her mouth so she could respond. “At your place?”

 

Draco met Harry’s eyes as he nodded, obviously checking if it was alright. “There’s a huge parlour there that you can set a tent up in and have that picnic you’ve been wanting.”

 

Harry’s eyes widened as he was almost overwhelmed by an incredibly strong rush of affection. He had no idea where this was coming from, but the fact that Draco was thinking about Lily and not just him was causing his heart to begin to race. He glanced down at Lily so he could break the spell Draco’s eyes were holding him under. She looked to be nodding in agreement.

 

“Does that sound good, Lil? They also have peacocks from what I remember.” He smiled back when Lily smiled up at him.

 

“Do you mind if I steal your Dad for a few minutes while you pack, then?”

 

Lily slid off Harry’s lap and threw her arms around Draco’s neck, almost spilling the chocolate down his back. Draco’s eyes widened and Harry was almost afraid that he wouldn’t react, but his arms went around Lily’s shoulders in a few seconds, holding her in a loose grip.

 

“We’re really going to have a picnic for tea?” Lily’s voice was still trembling, but at least she had stopped crying. “And sleep in a tent?”

 

“We’ll do whatever you want, Princess.”

 

Harry was unable to prevent the huge smile that threatened to crack his face in two as he watched the two of them interact. Draco definitely had a way with children that he did not have with adults. He grinned when Lily pulled away from Draco and began searching for a bag to pack. With her distracted, Harry was free to follow Draco out into the hallway. He took full advantage of not having Lily there for a few minutes and threw his arms around Draco’s shoulders, pressing him into the wall.

 

“You are perfect,” he whispered into Draco’s ear as he pressed as close as he could get. “I don’t know how you manage it, but you are absolutely fucking perfect.”

 

“I take it that was alright to suggest then.” There was laughter in Draco’s voice as he wrapped his arms around Harry’s waist and held him tight. “I thought having somewhere she couldn’t reach you for the night might be a good idea.”

 

Harry pulled back far enough so he could see Draco’s eyes. They were as open and readable as Harry had ever seen them before and all he could see there was a mild concern. It caused the earlier warmth to return in force and Harry to press their lips together.

 

“I really do love you, you know.” He had never really experienced anything like this in a relationship. Ginny had certainly never cared about him in this way, or if she had, then she had never shown it. “Thank you.”

 

“I know,” Draco responded against his lips with a smile. “And I’m sure I can think of a number of ways for you to repay me.”


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's been some cyclones around my parts recently. If I disappear, it's because my internet's been knocked out. I'll try to keep posting regularly, though :)

“Draco?”

 

Draco glanced up from the nightshade he was cutting into fine slices. “Lily.”

 

“Are the peacocks alright to pat?”

 

Draco smiled. He had figured that Lily would be fascinated with the animals roaming the grounds of the Manor – both magical and not – and the peacocks seemed to be her favourite. Setting a stasis charm over his work, he turned and knelt down so he was eye-to-eye with her.

 

“Astoria feeds them at seven every morning; instead of patting them, how does hand feeding them sound?”

 

He watched as Lily’s eyes widened and a huge smile spread across her face. He was prepared for her to throw her arms around his neck this time and was able to react appropriately. It had surprised him the night before when she had practically tackled him. Thankfully, Harry had met his eyes and held them. The warmth he had seen there had offered the reassurance that this was fine; that what he had offered up was the right thing to do. Not that Scorpius was unaffectionate but, like Draco, he showed it a very different way. He released Lily after a few seconds and smiled back at her.

 

“I’m going to go wake Dad up so he can help. Maybe I can get him to stay home from work.”

 

Lily rushed out of Draco’s greenhouse in the backyard of Malfoy Manor, ostensibly to wake Harry at half six in the morning. Draco couldn’t help smiling about that one, as he knew how much Harry valued his sleep. He thought back over the night before as he lifted the stasis charm on his work and continued slicing the nightshade. Astoria had been out with a group of friends, meaning that the parlour was completely free for their use. Draco had been thinking about suggesting something like this for a while, but the opportunity had never presented itself. He absolutely refused to believe that he had been stalling in suggesting it because he was afraid that Harry would refuse to allow Lily into the Manor due to the trouble he had had with the Weasleys.

 

The night had been spent playing wizard chess, Gobstones and eating some of the rich chocolate Draco had finally taken back from Astoria. Lily had seemed to perk up over the course of the night, smiling and laughing as Harry had lost game after game of chess to Draco. It had surprised Draco that Lily herself was actually quite good at the game; he had assumed that she would have taken after Harry. The rest of the night after Lily had gone off to bed had been spent trying to work Harry up. He had picked up on subtle hints that Harry had been giving off during the course of the night and had decided to act on them as soon as Lily was in bed. Draco smiled when he thought back on the imaginative ways Harry had come up with to ‘repay’ him the night before for offering to take them away from where Ginevra could reach them. He had never expected that Lily would need protecting from someone other than the press, but if he could help in any way, he was determined to. He gasped when a pair of arms wrapped around his middle from behind.

 

“I hear that I’m to stay home from work with you and Lily today.”

 

Harry’s hot breath puffed along Draco’s neck, sending a delightful shiver through him. Casting another stasis charm over his work, he placed his own hands over Harry’s on his stomach and leant back into the touch.

 

“Are you really?”

 

“Mmhm.” Harry’s lips connected with Draco’s skin, trailing down towards his collar. “Apparently we’re going to go shopping in Diagon. All three of us.”

 

Draco’s eyes closed automatically and he took an unsteady breath as pleasure flooded through him. “Indeed?”

 

“Mmm. Any idea where she could have gotten that idea?”

 

Draco let his head fall forward so Harry could have better access to his neck. The heat of having Harry’s lips moving along his skin was a welcome relief from the chill in the morning air that seemed to permeate even the greenhouse. He shivered when Harry’s fingers worked their way in-between the buttons on his deep green work shirt and began to slowly stroke the skin around his navel.

 

“None whatsoever,” he managed to reply through the fog of desire beginning to descend on him.

 

“Come on, Dad, we’re going to feed the birds!”

 

Draco – jerked rudely out of the warm sense of _right_ Harry had managed to create around them – gasped and tried to take a step away. Harry’s hands tightened around him, however, holding him in place. Standing silently in the greenhouse, Draco took a steadying breath. There were no running footsteps and Lily hadn’t come bursting through the door, so maybe they hadn’t been caught as he had feared. He smiled when Harry placed a soft kiss behind his ear.

 

“Good morning.” Harry’s arms unwound from Draco’s middle and his warmth left him, leaving him feeling chilled. “Are you coming?”

 

Draco turned to see Harry smirking at him. “Please, Potter,” he scoffed. “You’re not that good.”

 

A surprised-sounding burst of laughter followed Draco out of the greenhouse and he couldn’t help the small smile that crossed his face in response. Harry caught up with him in a few seconds, slipping his hand into the back pocket of Draco’s trousers to squeeze his arse just before they rounded the corner to find Lily and Astoria waiting for them. Astoria shot him a knowing look and he rolled his eyes in response.

 

He watched as Lily ran forward and Harry scooped her up, tipping her upside down. Her shrieks of laughter echoed through the grounds as Harry continued to chase her after placing her back on the ground. Draco offered Astoria a smile when she fell into step with him.

 

“You smile more often these days.”

 

It was a seemingly simple observation, but Draco felt he had to clarify. “I was never unhappy with my life before Harry. I love both you and Scorpius and no one will ever replace you.”

 

“I didn’t think you were trying to.” She grabbed his hand and squeezed. “He loves you, too.”

 

“I know.”

 

She huffed out a small laugh. “I figured he wouldn’t be able to hold it in; he doesn’t hide much, does he?”

 

“He never had a reason to.”

 

Astoria stopped, pulling Draco to a halt beside her. “I’ve signed the divorce papers. They’re waiting at the lawyer’s office for whenever you want to sign them.”

 

Shock flooded through Draco and he turned to face her properly. “Tori–”

 

“You have a real chance at true happiness with Harry, Draco; offering the chance for you to be free to start at the beginning with him when you’re both able to is the least I can do to help.”

 

Unable to express the feeling of gratefulness that flooded through him, Draco pulled Astoria into a tight embrace. “Thank you,” he whispered against her hair and received a shaky laugh in response. “I honestly don’t know how I would have made it through everything without you.”

 

She pulled back and gave him a watery smile. “You wouldn’t have. You would have crashed and burned without me and you know it.”

 

Knowing that she was trying to lighten the mood, Draco smiled in response and released her so she could move off down the path after Harry and Lily. He followed after a few seconds, his mind racing. _I’m free to be with him..._ It was the most liberating feeling he had ever experienced.

 

*~*

 

“ _Come on_ , Dad!”

 

Harry grinned as Lily grabbed his hand and tried to drag him faster down Diagon. He had firecalled the office that morning to let them know that he was taking the day off and had pretended to not hear the relief in Kingsley’s voice. He knew he had been incredibly distracted by what was going on with the lawyers and Ginny and Lily, but he had hoped that he was managing to keep it together at work, at least. Apparently he had been wrong and it seemed that the office could run itself quite well without him for the time being.

 

“Just a second, Lil, didn’t you want to go to the bookstore?” Harry paused outside said store and watched with amusement as Lily tried to decide between continuing to wherever it was she had been trying to drag him and her love for books. “We can look for that one Draco mentioned.”

 

That seemed to decide the matter for her and she rushed past him and into the potions book aisle. Draco had bowed out of coming with them to Diagon that day, stating that he had work he needed to catch up on. Lily hadn’t seemed too disappointed, which Harry was grateful for. She had had enough disappointment in her life recently; she didn’t need any more. He smiled when she managed to find the beginner potions book Draco had told her about the night before almost straight away. It apparently had all the basics with clearer instructions than the one she was currently obsessively studying in preparation for her going off to Hogwarts the next year.

 

“That was quick.”

 

“Mmhm.”

 

Harry grinned again. Years of experience with Hermione had taught him when to leave a reader alone, so he wandered through the store, occasionally stopping to read the spine of an interesting-looking book. He wound up at the back of the store, in the place he had cornered Draco a month previously and received his first blowjob. It had been an unconscious move, but it brought back memories that sent warmth shooting through his stomach. This was the place that he considered to be the true start to their relationship, the place where Draco had finally decided that he was worth the effort. He moved slowly over to the spot against the wall and took a deep breath. He knew it was ridiculous, but he could have sworn he could still smell the musk of their time together.

 

“Dad?”

 

Harry jumped and spun around, trying desperately to not look guilty. “Ready to go?”

 

“Yeah, this looks really good.”

 

Harry trailed after her towards the counter and paid more for the book than he usually spent on his own clothing. He was mentally grumbling about Malfoys and their endless supply of money when he realised exactly which shop he had followed Lily into: Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes. He froze and glanced wildly around the shop, looking for the shock of red hair that would indicate that either Ron or George was in that day. Thankfully, all he saw was a couple of girls on the counter and helping the customers and he let out a breath he hadn’t realised he had been holding. Maybe they could get whatever Lily wanted and get out again before Harry was confronted with his angry brothers-in-law. Guilt and frustration warred with each other in his chest, fighting to be felt first. He knew he should have spoken to Ron before this, but with all the insanity that had surrounded his outing in the papers, he had simply pushed certain things back until a more appropriate time.

 

“Lil? Is there something in here you want?” He stepped up behind her, still glancing around for either Ron or George.

 

“ _To shop_ ,” she replied with a long-suffering sigh as though Harry was the dimmest person she had ever met. “Come on.”

 

Harry found himself looking over his shoulder every few seconds as Lily literally dragged him through the store. He could tell that she was becoming exasperated with his inattention, but a confrontation in public was really not what he wanted, especially when Lily was right there. His paranoia continued to grow as the minutes stretched on and the dread it was causing felt as though it was doing bad things to his insides, but neither Ron nor George made an appearance. When Lily finally turned to face him with an armload of things, relief rushed through him. He hurried her over to the counter and paid the cashier as quickly as possible. They made it out the door without incident and Harry breathed a sigh of relief. He turned to make his way down to the Leaky so they could floo out of Diagon, but stopped in his tracks when he came face-to-face with Ron.

 

“Hugo, look what Dad bought me!”

 

Lily and Hugo rushed back into the store, but Harry stood frozen outside, his eyes locked with Ron’s. The dread that had dissipated hit him full-force again and his Auror instincts kicked into overdrive. He knew exactly how to get them both out of this situation without a fight within a few seconds; all he would have to do was run back inside and grab Lily away from Hugo. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, he steeled himself for what was coming.

 

“Ron.”

 

“Harry.”

 

Taking it as a good sign that he hadn’t been punched yet, Harry tried again. “How are you?”

 

“Fine.”

 

It was obvious by the clipped tone to the word that Ron intended that to be all he said to Harry that day. He stepped forward and made to push past Harry, but Harry was too quick for him. Clamping his hand around Ron’s wrist, Harry held him where he was and forced him to meet his eyes.

 

“Come grab a cuppa or something with me.” Now that he had him there, Harry saw no reason why he shouldn’t at least try to get his side of the story across to Ron. “Or we can take the kids to Fortescue’s.”

 

“Hey, yeah, can we go get ice cream, Dad?” Hugo moved up and tugged on Ron’s other sleeve. “Please?”

 

“Ice cream? Are we going to Fortescue’s, Dad?” Lily appeared behind Hugo, her eyes wide and pleading.

 

Harry had to bite back a smile as Ron sighed and rubbed his free hand across his eyes. He knew that Ron had just as much trouble telling Hugo ‘no’ as he did with Lily. Nerves fluttered through Harry’s stomach when Ron gave an irritable jerk of his head and turned to march off to the ice cream parlour. The two kids ran after him, leaving Harry to bring up the rear. Harry had to fight back the memories of the last time he had been to Fortescue’s – the same day as the bookshop – as he entered. This was neither the time nor the place for him to become distracted by thoughts of Draco. He smiled at the girl behind the counter as he walked up.

 

“I’ll have a small chocolate sundae, please. Lily?” He glanced down to where she was standing at his feet.

 

“I want the really big one with the strawberry topping.”

 

Harry raised an eyebrow but ordered her treat anyway. It didn’t take long for the girl to scoop out their order and Lily immediately took off with Hugo over to the brightly painted children’s chairs the store had installed a few years back. Relief rushed through him when he realised he wouldn’t have to invent an excuse to pull Ron aside and speak to him. Meeting Ron’s eyes, Harry followed silently when he turned and stalked away. It looked like Ron wasn’t going to make this easy, not that Harry blamed him. It wasn’t long after Harry had sat down on one side of the booth that Ron spoke.

 

“My sister.”

 

Harry fought back the urge to wince. “I know.”

 

Silence surrounded them for long enough that Harry began to fidget. Slowly mashing his sundae into a gloopy mess, he could feel his guilt over the situation beginning to overwhelm him. Ron had been the one of his friends who hadn’t thought that he marrying Ginny had been a good idea and although he had come to accept it, Harry had the feeling that Ron must be feeling justified in his doubts now. Not that Harry thought that Ron had had any kind of inkling that he was gay, but he figured that this was enough proof for Ron to feel that he had been right all along. Harry was on the verge of allowing his guilt to take over and begin apologising for everything he had ever done when Ron spoke again.

 

“Was she really sleeping with other men?”

 

Harry’s head snapped up so fast he felt his shoulder muscles objecting. Ron was eyeing him with a strange mix of trepidation and defiance that caused Harry to hope that he would be open to listening to the full story without trying to hex him.

 

“I’ve only spoken to one of them, but he confirmed it. I saw her with the owner of the Harpies, Rhys, and they looked cosy, but nothing happened between them while I was watching. When I followed them, I got him alone and he admitted that he and Ginny had been together for six months back when we were first married and that she was currently shopping around for someone else. Ginny herself admitted to me that there have been others. I–”

 

“Wait.” Ron held up a hand to silence Harry. “What about you?”

 

Harry took a deep breath. “Draco is the only other person I have been with since Ginny and I first started dating again after the War.” When Ron didn’t respond, Harry continued. “I’m sorry. For everything. I know I should have handled it better and that I shouldn’t have started anything with someone when I was still married. I also know that nothing I can say will be sufficient and that I can never make up for disappointing you and the family like I have. I’ve never fucked anything up this badly before and I don’t know how to make things better with you and the family. All I can do is hope that one day you’ll all be willing to hear me out.”

 

The uncomfortable silence returned after this little speech. Harry ducked his head, choosing to focus on the gloop his sundae had turned into instead of having to watch Ron. Molly, George and Ron were always going to be the ones who would have the most difficulty with this break-up, but Harry was still holding onto the ridiculous hope that one day they would be able to forgive him just a little. Of course it was completely natural for them to side with Ginny over him, but the hope was still there, no matter what he did or told himself. He estimated that Ron left him stewing in the growing feeling of doubt for a few minutes before he heard a noise that caused him to glance back up.

 

“You have been my brother for over twenty years, Harry. But...” Harry’s stomach dropped into his shoes when Ron paused. “ _Malfoy_ , Harry.”

 

Harry’s eyes closed and his head dropped down again as pain shot through him. He had known that if Ron – or any of the Weasleys for that matter – ever accepted that he and Ginny weren’t together anymore, then Draco would be a stumbling point. The problem, as Harry saw it, was that while the Weasleys had decided to not speak to him over this, he had grown closer to Draco. They hadn’t seen the development of their relationship and were unlikely to accept that Harry loved him. Hell, even if they had seen their relationship developing, Harry thought it unlikely that any of them would accept Draco. He swallowed down the fear over what was about to happen and raised his head, determined to not allow Ron to think that he was ashamed at all.

 

“I know. I know that your families have never gotten along and that he’s done horrible things to many of you. Believe me, _I know_. But...” He trailed off and threw himself back against the back of the booth seat, unable to express that he had fallen for him.

 

“Did he force you, Harry?”

 

“What? No! I...” Harry paused again, surprise causing him to stutter a little. “I – I... No, no, he didn’t _force_ me. I... _No_.”

 

Ron eyed him with disbelief for a few seconds before speaking again. “You went into a public toilet and _willingly_ had sex with Draco Malfoy?”

 

“I, no, I...” Harry huffed out a frustrated breath. “This wasn’t planned. I honestly didn’t have a single clue that I was anything other than straight and happily married until this happened. I didn’t know about me, I didn’t know about Ginny and what she’d been up to and all I was planning on doing was taking a leak, I swear.”

 

Once again, Ron stared at him for a while. It appeared to Harry as though Ron was trying to work him out; studying him as though he was a completely new species he had just discovered.

 

“I don’t understand, Harry, I’m sorry. I understand that you can have sex with anyone, even someone you hate, but you and Malfoy? If he didn’t force you, then how the hell did it happen? I mean, you nearly killed him in sixth year and he nearly killed me _and_ set Greyback on Bill. I get that you both saved the other during the War, but that can’t have been enough to start anything. You have hated each other practically your entire lives and now all of a sudden you’re together and happy? I can’t believe that.”

 

Putting aside the now almost certain knowledge that Ron would never be able to accept his relationship with Draco, Harry chose to focus on the slightly more positive part of things. “Is that the only thing you object to? That you don’t see how Draco and I could choose to be together?” The tiny, determined spark of hope that had begun to form in Harry’s chest over the course of the conversation flared again. He didn’t want to lose his best friend – or his family – because of this and if he could start the reconciliation process that day, then he would. Leaning forward, he met Ron’s eyes and held his gaze. “You and your family are the only true family have ever known and I don’t want to lose any of you. I know that this is going to cause a huge gap between us and I’m not expecting you to accept that I want to be with Draco, but maybe we can work things out sometime in the future? I understand that you have to stand with Ginny; she’s your real sister after all. But maybe...”

 

Ron broke eye contact and stared down at the tabletop, his jaw clenching sporadically. Harry stayed silent, willing him to not just walk out, needing him to give him some kind of confirmation that one day everything would be alright. He knew that it was probably a long shot, but all he wanted was a small sign that his best friend – his brother – would be able to forgive him one day.

 

“Ginny’s planning something for the Ball on Friday. I don’t know what, but she’s going to do something.” Ron stood then, meeting Harry’s eyes. “I can’t guarantee that things will go back to what they used to be; something this major will change everything between us. But one day... Yeah.”

 

Harry sat back in his seat again, a combination of relief and confusion sending his mind spinning in all different directions. Instead of focussing on the bad, however, he focussed on the good: there was hope that one day he could have his family back.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **There is mention of blood towards the end of this chapter.** It's not too graphic, but I figured I'd warn anyway :)

The realisation that he really didn’t want to go to the Ball that night had hit Draco early on in the morning on Friday; 5am, to be exact. He had risen to tend to his herb garden and had been hit by the strongest surge of reluctance that he had felt since the War. The feeling had followed him the entire day and now that he was standing on the hearthrug at Grimmauld, having just arrived, it had grown so strong that he was beginning to worry that there was actually something wrong with him. Moving through the house, he headed for Harry’s bedroom, thinking that once he was there, some of the nerves would dissipate.

 

“Harry?”

 

“Bathroom.”

 

Draco smiled as he entered the en suite attached to Harry’s bedroom: Harry was standing in front of the full-length mirror, yanking at the collar of his midnight blue formal robes. The sight caused warmth to flood through Draco’s chest, relieving some of the worry that had built up over the course of the day. Stepping forward silently, he replaced Harry’s hands with his own.

 

“Allow me.”

 

He kept his voice low and felt the shiver that ran through Harry in response. Adjusting the collar of Harry’s robes should have only taken a few seconds, but Draco lingered over it, enjoying the feeling of having him in his arms. Harry’s oaky aftershave drifted up from his collar and Draco breathed deeply, savouring the feeling of security he got from the scent.

 

“Draco?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“I don’t want to go.”

 

Draco chuckled as he finished adjusting the collar. “We could always stay here. I’m sure I could come up with a way to occupy your time instead.” He met Harry’s eyes in the mirror and smiled at the groan Harry let out. “I may even discover multiple things to keep you busy...”

 

“I hate you,” Harry muttered as he pushed away from Draco’s chest to continue getting ready.

 

Unwilling to allow Harry to leave that soon, Draco stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Harry’s waist. He buried his nose in behind Harry’s left ear and placed a soft kiss on the sensitive skin. Harry took a slightly shaky breath before leaning back into the embrace.

 

“Draco...”

 

The drawn-out vowels sent a shiver down Draco’s spine and he smiled in response. “If you manage to make it through the night, I promise to follow through on that threat.”

 

He would have continued, but Harry spun around and drew him into a heated kiss. His eyes slid closed and he sighed in pleasure as Harry’s mouth opened so he could slide his tongue in and over his teeth. The very faint taste of chamomile tea sent Draco’s senses spinning and he tightened his grip, pulling Harry flush up against his chest. He was having trouble breathing normally when they finally broke apart.

 

“Promise me you’ll be careful tonight.”

 

Draco raised his eyebrows at the request. “Coming from the man who catches bad guys for a living?”

 

“That’s different and you know it.” He pulled back and gave Draco a stern look. “If Ginny wants to hurt you, she will, so I need you to promise me you’ll be careful. Just... Look, just remember what I showed you and avoid her as much as possible. Please?”

 

Staring into Harry’s eyes – wide and crinkled with concern – Draco knew that he wouldn’t be able to deny him, not when he knew he had so much else to worry about at the same time. He nodded silently and leant in to brush their lips together again.

 

“I promise.”

 

Harry let out a pleased-sounding hum. “Thank you. Now go on; you’re distracting me.”

 

Draco grinned and stepped backwards. He ran his eyes over Harry one last time before moving back down through the house. They had decided that it would be best if they arrived separately, because they both knew that the press would go insane if they arrived together. It wasn’t going to be an easy night to navigate, but Draco knew, somehow, that it would be alright.

 

*~*

 

Scanning the crowd as it grew, Harry watched out for a flash of either pale blond or bright red hair. His nerves had never really left him, but Draco had managed to take some of them away before they had separated and now he was awaiting his arrival in the stuffy ballroom. He had been against arriving separately to the Ball, but had been able to see the logic. The amount of press that had been waiting outside the ballroom for his arrival that night was the most he had seen in the same place in a long time and he knew that if he and Draco had arrived together, then they would have caused something close to a riot to be the first to get pictures of the two of them together.

 

“You might want to be a little less obvious, Harry.”

 

Harry jumped at the sound of Kingsley’s voice behind him. He fought back against a blush as he turned around to see that Kingsley was shooting him a knowing smile. Ducking his head, he ran a hand along the back of his neck and shifted his weight onto his other leg as his stomach flipped with anxiety.

 

“Sorry, Kingsley, I just...” He sighed. “She’s got me so worried that someone’s going to be injured somehow just because we can’t get along anymore and it’s driving me insane. Every time someone new enters the room, I have to check to see whether it’s her or not and each time I’m disappointed because I know that if I can just keep an eye on her then I’ll be able to relieve some of the nerves.”

 

Kingsley eyed him for a few seconds before indicating that Harry should follow him. Frowning, Harry moved off after him, unsure if he wanted to leave the ballroom in case he missed either Ginny or Draco’s arrival. Thankfully, Kingsley didn’t want to take him far. He turned to face the crowd again when he reached the side of the stage and pulled Harry to his side.

 

“How many entries into this room can you see?”

 

Harry blinked, wondering why he was being tested like a first-year trainee. “Three doors, all of the windows and the trapdoor in the ceiling. Kingsley, I don’t see why–”

 

Kingsley held up a hand for silence and Harry obeyed immediately. His years of training had had him following Kingsley’s commands for many years and he knew it would take a while for him to get out of the habit.

 

“How many guards do you see at these entries?”

 

“There are two at each door, which is why–”

 

Kingsley stopped him with a raised hand again and Harry had to hold back an impatient sigh. “Is there?” He offered Harry a wide smile when he glanced up at him in confusion. “Look closer.”

 

Taking a deep breath, Harry closed his eyes for a few seconds, pushing as much of the worry and nerves to the back of his mind as he could. This allowed him to slip comfortably into his old role of field Auror so he could assess the situation properly. Focussing solely on the windows at first, he scanned carefully around them, trying to discern any kind of movement or distortion that would indicate someone using a Disillusionment Charm. He was quite tempted to cast a few charms in the direction of the windows just to see whether anything happened, but he knew that exposing anyone who happened to be up there would be a bad idea. When he couldn’t see anything there, he glanced up towards the trapdoor that led into the ceiling. Again he ran his eyes over the area, but again, he saw nothing. Frowning, he turned back to Kingsley.

 

“Sorry, Kingsley, but I can’t see anything out of place. If there’s someone up there, I can’t tell.”

 

“Good.” Harry’s eyebrows rose up into his hairline at the decisive tone to Kingsley’s voice. “If you can’t tell where they are, then a quick glance by someone less trained than you won’t bring them up at all.”

 

Harry watched as Kingsley brought out a small coin and pressed the centre. He recognised this as the same coin method of communication that Hermione had developed during their time in Dumbledore’s Army. The coin glowed a little before Kingsley stored it safely back in a pocket that was almost invisible in his formal robes.

 

“Watch up there by the first set of windows.”

 

Harry obeyed, focussing on a set of windows just above him and to his left. A slight shimmer near the edge of the sill that surrounded the window caught his attention before it vanished again.

 

“Was that a person?” He turned to Kingsley, who was smiling wide at him again. “How did you manage that?”

 

“The boys in Research have been busy adapting a few of the usual charms to be used for reconnaissance missions. They’ve only managed to modify the Disillusionment Charm so that the user is completely invisible when standing still, but I’d say it’s a vast improvement to seeing the slight distortion that occurred with the original charm. It might help to save a few more of our Aurors from having to take up beds in St. Mungo’s.”

 

Harry glanced back up toward the windows when Kingsley left him with a small nod, but the slight distortion had disappeared completely again. The thought passed through his mind that Kingsley had managed to give him something else to occupy his mind for a few minutes at least and he had to wonder whether it had been done on purpose. A slight movement out of the corner of his eye brought his attention back to the present and it took all of his will power to not react to it the way he had been trained to.

 

“Sorry, I should have thought.”

 

Harry didn’t even try to fight the relieved smile that spread across his face at the quiet sound of Draco’s voice coming from the shadows beside the stage. Of course Draco would have noticed his instinctive reaction to being startled when he had been in that mindset and it sent warmth spiralling through him. That warm feeling was helped along by the fact that Draco had obviously tracked him down the second he had entered the room, because he hadn’t been there when Harry had been watching for him. Glancing over to his left, he caught a glimpse of blond hair and blue-grey robes reflected by the candlelight when Draco moved further back into the shadows. A quick look over his shoulder told Harry that they weren’t being watched just yet and he followed.

 

“How are you? You made it through the scrum out there alright?” He ran his eyes over Draco critically, checking to make sure he was fine.

 

“Hello to you, too,” Draco responded, the amused-sounding tone to his voice matching the quirk of an eyebrow he offered up.

 

Harry held back from moving to scoop Draco into his arms and kiss him senseless, as he knew Draco wouldn’t thank him for it, but that didn’t stop him from stepping closer and running a thumb across Draco’s lips. He knew no one was watching them and that they could probably get away with nearly anything they wanted to there in that dark corner, but he was determined to respect the boundaries Draco set in public. Staring at Draco’s lips as he was, Harry missed the quick movement of Draco’s hands as he slipped them around Harry’s waist and pulled him close. Their lips connected briefly before Draco stepped back completely.

 

“I _will_ make you follow through on that look later on.”

 

Standing frozen in the dark corner after Draco left to presumably mingle with the crowd, Harry’s mind could only focus on one thing: Draco had broken his own strict rules of how to conduct himself in public. He had broken them willingly and he had broken them for Harry. His heart raced and his skin tingled everywhere Draco had touched. What this meant would have to be examined later on, but for the time being, Harry was content to simply wallow in the blissful knowledge that Draco was willing to loosen up in public for him. It was a nice change from the seemingly constant stress he was under these days, but he knew it couldn’t last. He estimated that it was only two or so minutes after Draco had left that he emerged from the shadows himself.

 

He found Draco in the crowd immediately and wandered over to speak to a couple of elderly Wizengamot members, keeping Draco in his line of sight the whole time. It seemed to him that the instincts that Kingsley had caused him to call upon hadn’t been diluted a single bit since his years as a field Auror and it was these he called on to scan the crowd as well as keeping up with the conversation going on around him. He still couldn’t see Ginny anywhere, but he knew that that didn’t necessarily mean that she wasn’t going to show up. It surprised him, but the mingling part of the evening seemed to go quite quickly, considering how distracted he was with trying to both keep track of Draco and try to find Ginny.

 

The noise level in the room changed when people started to move off towards where the tables had been set up, close to the stage. Harry’s nerves kicked up a notch when he realised that he wasn’t going to be able to keep an eye on the door to see when Ginny arrived, but he soon realised that it would become obvious if a newcomer entered and had to take their seat while everyone watched. Moving off towards the tables, he kept an eye on Draco as well as the Wizengamot member he had been speaking to, making sure the old man got to his seat fine. Harry was fairly certain the man hadn’t heard a word he had said the entire night and he was quite thankful for that, because it meant that he hadn’t had to say much. He moved off towards the front of the room where he knew he was seated when he had deposited the man at his own table. The level of chattering rose again for a few seconds and Harry glanced up, wondering what had happened. It was then that he saw that Kingsley had seated him and Draco together.

 

The other members of his table were already seated when Harry took his place next to Draco and he had to smile: Kingsley had seated them with senior members of the Auror team that Harry knew wouldn’t cause them any trouble. He risked a glance over to where Kingsley sat at the next table and received a smirk in response. Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Harry greeted the rest of the members of his table and settled in to listen to the introductory speeches. One of the senior members of the Ministry greeted them all, another explained why they were all there and which charity they had chosen to support that year and a third tried to amuse them all with stories of Kingsley and some of the other senior Ministry members when they had been juniors in the Ministry. This was all met with polite laughs, but Harry was beginning to fidget by the time the third man sat down again. He jumped when he felt Draco’s hand come to rest lightly on top of his under the table. It was a small touch and would have meant nothing if it were anyone else, but it caused the same kind of warmth to spread through Harry that the kiss had earlier. He bit down on his tongue and breathed shallowly in an attempt to not react at all, knowing that this was so much more than Draco would have offered under any other circumstances.

 

“...I present as your Head Auror for the final time, Harry Potter.”

 

The sharp sound of applause jolted Harry out of his warm bubble and he shoved back from the table, nearly knocking his chair over in the process. He was absolutely certain that he caught the flash of a smirk on Draco’s face, but it was hidden quickly. Breathing regularly seemed to be a bit of a difficulty when Harry was faced with the prospect of standing up in front of this amount of people – enough to fill half the ballroom – but he ignored his renewed nerves as best he could as he made his way up onto the stage.

 

He stood before the lectern that had been set up and glanced out over the crowd. They were still applauding and setting off camera flashes, causing Harry to blink his eyes rapidly in response. There was still no sign of Ginny and Harry had no idea if that was a good thing or not, but he couldn’t worry about that now. From now on in, she was the security guard’s problem.

 

“Thank you, thank you. I – er –” He paused to clear his throat and fumble the sheet of paper he had written everything down on out of his pocket. Taking a proper look out over the crowd as his eyes cleared, he could make out many faces he had gotten to know quite well over the years and he smiled, managing to relax just a little. “It’s good to see so many people here I have gotten to know over the years I spent with the Auror Corps. There have been so many times over the years that I have imagined this moment and wondered just how it was going to happen; whether I was going to be forced into retirement or if it would come about as my own choice. I am actually quite proud to be able to tell you that this has actually been all my own choice. I have loved working with such a close-knit group of dedicated people for the past nineteen years, but it’s time to move on, to pass the torch to the next generation.” A slight movement off to his right made Harry pause and glance over, but he could see nothing there. Clearing his throat again, he continued. “I have learned many things over the past nineteen years from many different people I have worked with, but I believe the most important thing that anyone here has ever told me came from my old boss, Gawain Robards. The very first day I was promoted to Head Auror, he told me to only stay as long as I was getting something out of the job. He said that to choose to leave a job like this on my own terms and under my own power was one of the greatest achievements an Auror could boast and I find that he was right. It has been an absolute privilege to have been able to stand as your Head Auror for the past ten years and I am happy to say that I am leaving the Department in some very capable hands...”

 

A loud shriek interrupted him, followed by some of the foulest language he had ever heard. The fact that the female voice that was screaming the obscenities was familiar turned Harry’s blood cold in his veins. Spinning around and sprinting backstage where the screams were coming from, he nearly collided with Kingsley and the group of Aurors who had been seated at his and Draco’s table. They raced through the curtain and were met by three Aurors: one with his arms wrapped around Ginny’s torso, pinning her arms to her sides; a second who was trying to restrain her flailing legs and a third, who appeared to be carrying a vial of potion at arm’s length. A rushing sound filled Harry’s ears and it took him a few seconds to realise that it wasn’t actually in his ears, but the sound of a few hundred voices all speaking at once back in the ballroom. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath to calm himself a little before allowing his professional side to take him over.

 

“Thatcher,” he barked at one of the juniors who had followed them in from the ballroom. “Contact whoever is on tonight and tell them they’ll have incoming shortly. Simmons, Fletcher: check the rest of the backstage area to make sure she was alone. Paulson, clear one of the rooms here; we’ll need to keep her somewhere until we can transport her.”

 

The four Aurors that Harry really shouldn’t have been bossing around anymore all scattered to do his bidding and he turned to face Ginny. Her face was bright red from the combination of the exertion and anger that was clearly written there. Pacing in front of her, Harry couldn’t think of a single thing to say. He knew that since he was technically still the most senior Auror present, he was the one who was supposed to take control over the situation, but the combination of shock, betrayal and absolute disgust running through him was choking him into silence.

 

“My darling husband has nothing to say to me? No words of wisdom to impart?” The hatred clear in Ginny’s voice cut straight through Harry and he paused in his pacing to simply stare down at the woman he had once been convinced that he loved. “Does everyone in there know exactly who it is they are worshipping? Do they know that you’re nothing but a pathetic, weak little f–” She stopped with a muffled cry as the hand of the Auror holding her slipped up and covered her mouth for a few seconds.

 

“Sorry about that, boss, I should have Silenced her long before now,” Gould stated matter-of-factly as he slid his hand back down to hold her shoulders. “Won’t happen again.”

 

Harry swallowed hard and nodded. He knew exactly what Ginny had been going to say – as did everyone else who had heard her – but it seemed that not one of them was agreeing with her. He glanced quickly around the small hall they were in, but what he saw only seemed to confirm what he suspected: the small group of Aurors was working quickly to carry out Harry’s orders and not one of them had paused to give Ginny’s words even the slightest bit of credence. He turned back to look at Ginny again and found it difficult to recognise any part of her. She had been so sweet, so comforting when they had first gotten together, but he hardly recognised the woman before him now. Pain shot through his chest as she kicked out at him, snarling in a manner he had only seen from people he had locked up over the years. The pain blossomed into an unwilling sympathy when she met his eyes. He knew he had contributed to the emotions that prompted this insane behaviour, but he really couldn’t see any of the girl he had first married in the woman before him. He frowned when she began to struggle even more.

 

“You fucking cu–”

 

Ginny was cut off again by Gould’s hand slipping over her mouth, but he dropped her when she bit down on his hand. Scrambling around on the floor, Ginny managed to grab hold of Gould’s wand and cast a spell towards the ballroom, out of Harry’s line of sight. She was quickly tackled to the ground, but the damage had apparently been done. A groan sounded from the direction of the ballroom followed quickly by the sound of someone’s knees connecting with the wooden floor. Harry raced around the corner the second he recognised the voice.

 

“Draco!”

 

Blood poured from Draco’s nose, splattering the front of his robes, his hands and the floor in front of him in the matter of a few seconds. Harry knelt down, scooping him into his arms and carrying him into what appeared to be a small dressing room. He placed him carefully on the lounge that sat against the wall to his right and knelt down in front of him. Draco was panting through his mouth, unable to breathe through his nose due to the stream of blood pouring out of him.

 

“It’s alright, hold still, I’ve got you,” Harry murmured as he drew his wand. “ _Episkey_.”

 

Draco groaned as his nose cracked back into position where Ginny had broken it. Harry caught him as he leant forward, his forehead landing on Harry’s shoulder.

 

“Harry...”

 

Draco’s voice was weak and Harry felt an icy fear clenching his insides. He scooped Draco up into his arms again and moved to the doorway so he could yell instructions to the nearest Auror. When he realised that they had everything under control, he Apparated away, taking Draco directly to St. Mungo’s.


	28. Chapter 28

“If you’d just done your job correctly in the first place, none of this would have happened.”

 

_I froze. I kept Ginny and the kids safe for nineteen years, but this time I froze. Nineteen years and not one serious injury caused by my work, but Draco spends six weeks with me and he’s lying in a fucking hospital bed. It’s all my fault. I should have made Ron’s warning clearer: the team would have been watching closer._

 

“Me? You’re the one who couldn’t restrain her properly _or_ even Stun her when we first saw her.”

 

_What if they can’t Heal him properly? What if there’s some kind of permanent damage? He deserves so much better than this. If I hadn’t pushed him into this relationship, he would be safe right now. If I’d just stayed with Ginny and kept my mouth shut, none of this would have happened._

 

“At least I Disarmed her! You spotted her before I did, why didn’t you Stun her?”

 

“Shut the fuck up, the both of you!” Harry slammed his hands down on the arms of the chair he was sitting in and shoved himself to his feet. Agents Gould and Reynolds both jumped and turned to face Harry with guilt clear on their faces. Harry closed his eyes and breathed deeply in the hope of being able to speak evenly. “If neither of you have anything productive to contribute to this investigation while standing here, then go and help back at base.”

 

“Sorry, boss,” Reynolds – the woman who had been trying to restrain Ginny’s feet – responded. “I’ve definitely got paperwork to fill out.”

 

Harry sighed. He knew he shouldn’t be taking his guilt and fear out on the two of them, but their bickering had ground down his final, straining nerve.

 

“As of 5 this afternoon, I am no longer your boss: you’re now reporting to Mikhail. I know this is part of your investigation, but until Draco’s out of danger, there isn’t anything you can do here. I saw everything the both of you did, so I’m no help to you at the moment either. So just... just let me work things out here. I’ll be fine on my own.”

 

It took a few seconds, but they both left the room with mumbled apologies, leaving Harry to his guilt. Had it really only been six weeks since that day in the toilets? It seemed like much longer, but it couldn’t have been. Six weeks and he had fallen so hard for Draco that it was difficult to imagine life without him. He had a feeling that that was what he was now facing, however, and he sunk back into the chair, his head in his hands.

 

Why would Draco want to stay with him after this? Harry hadn’t been able to keep him safe, hadn’t even moved to stop Ginny when she had lunged for Gould’s wand once she had struggled free. Why hadn’t _he_ moved to Stun Ginny? He had been the only one standing there with both hands free. No, Draco deserved so much better than what Harry could give him: someone who could protect him and give him everything he needed. It was now obvious to Harry that his life would be too messy and too dangerous for a while for him to be selfish enough to want to involve anyone else in it. He was better off alone for the time being. It caused pain to lance through his chest, but he knew he should let Draco go, for his own safety if nothing else.

 

“Harry!”

 

Harry was on his feet and reaching for Astoria almost before he knew what he was doing. She threw herself into his arms, wrapping her own arms around Harry’s shoulders. Harry held her close, his eyes sliding closed as he felt her trembling.

 

“I’m sorry, I am so sorry,” he mumbled into her hair. “I couldn’t stop her... I couldn’t keep him safe.”

 

“They wouldn’t tell me anything, just said to get here fast.”

 

Harry took a deep breath before pulling back from her. Astoria’s eyes were bright and her hands clung to his shirt, giving away exactly how scared she was. Swallowing hard, Harry gathered as much calm as he could before explaining.

 

“They took him straight up here when we arrived. The only thing they’ve been able to tell me so far is that Ginny managed to cast two spells at him in quick succession. The first was an exsanguination curse to make sure he bled a lot and the second was what broke his nose. I Healed his nose on-site at the ballroom, but that didn’t stop the bleeding. They’re working on that right now.”

 

She took a slightly shaky breath before smiling up at him. “Thank you. You probably saved his life.”

 

Harry had to resist scoffing at her. He didn’t deserve to be thanked: it was his fault Draco was here in the first place. He kept that thought to himself, however, and simply moved backwards to take his seat again. His arrival in the reception of St. Mungo’s with a blood-soaked and unconscious Draco in his arms had caused a panic that Harry hadn’t seen in a long time in the hospital. Not that he spent much time there anymore, but if the mediwitches scrambling to get Draco into a room was any indication, then the curse Ginny had sent at him must have been quite serious. He had been sat there in the waiting room of the Spell Damage ward for the past fifteen minutes, simply waiting to hear something from them.

 

“Harry?”

 

He jumped, almost having forgotten that he wasn’t there by himself anymore. He turned to see that Astoria had taken the chair next to him. She was staring at him with so much sympathy in her eyes that his chest constricted and he had to swallow against the hard lump forming in his throat. He wouldn’t take that sympathy; he didn’t deserve it.

 

“It’s not your fault.”

 

Harry’s eyes closed again and he turned away. “Yes it–”

 

He would have continued, but the door to the waiting room opened at that moment to admit a harried-looking Healer. Harry shot to his feet, eager for good news. Astoria stood beside him, placing her hand on his lower back in a gesture of support.

 

“We’ve stopped the bleeding and he’s stable. The combination of the two spells Mr. Malfoy was hit with caused a lot of damage to his nasal cavity, but thankfully none of it was permanent.” He offered them up a smile. “He’s on a lot of pain medication as well as Blood-Replenishing potions. He will be very fuzzy for a while yet and unstable on his feet. I have to ask you both to please not excite him because it may cause the bleeding to start up again. He caused a bit of a fuss when we informed him he would have to stay here over the weekend, so maybe one of you can convince him that it is necessary?” He waited until they both nodded before continuing. “I can unfortunately only allow one of you in at a time because of the reactions he had to us. If he starts to work himself up again, I would ask that you simply leave him to cool down, please. He needs all the rest he can get.”

 

“Would you mind...?” Astoria turned to Harry with pleading eyes.

 

Shaking his head, Harry took a few steps backwards. The relief rushing through him was sending his head spinning and he closed his eyes to stop the room from spiralling in front of him. A strong hand clamped around his bicep and he allowed himself to be guided over to the chairs again. The Healer placed a hand on his head and bent him forward, his head between his knees. Harry could feel a diagnostic charm washing over him before he sat up again.

 

“I’m fine.”

 

The Healer eyed him critically for a few seconds before nodding. He glanced over towards the door before speaking again.

 

“He’s been asking for you since he woke up.” Harry had to resist wincing in guilt, but the man spoke again before he could react properly. “He’s a very lucky man, Mr. Potter.”

 

“What?” Meeting the Healer’s eyes, Harry could tell he wasn’t being hit on, but why the man would say something like that was completely beyond him. “What do you mean?”

 

“The combination of spells he was hit with had the potential to cause serious, permanent damage. As it is, we were able to stem the flow of blood rather quickly because of your fast reactions. He will still need to be on pain potions for at least the next week and be on the lookout for any bleeding, but he won’t suffer permanent damage. He has you to thank for that, Mr. Potter.”

 

Sitting and staring up at the Healer, Harry had to wonder if that meant that Draco had been in danger of bleeding out. Had Ginny tried to kill him that night, or had she simply cast spells that she knew would cause the most damage? He pushed that question to the back of his mind as his stomach lurched.

 

“Thank you for saving him. I know it’s your job, but... Thank you.” The Healer nodded to him and began to walk away, but Harry stopped him by grabbing his wrist. “This will turn into a huge case with both the press and the Auror Corps. Is it possible to keep the press out and away from him at least until he leaves here?”

 

“Besides the Aurors themselves, our security force is the best trained in the sector. We’ve managed to keep the press out each time you were a resident here and I believe they have only gotten better in the past few years.”

 

The smile the Healer offered up before exiting the room was sympathetic and Harry automatically smiled back. He had a lot to sort through before he could go in and speak to Draco about anything.

 

*~*

 

Draco fought against the fog descending on him caused by the strong pain potion the Healers had forced him to take. He would have preferred to have taken a weaker potion and put up with some of the pain, which would have allowed him to have full control over his faculties rather than be swimming around in this fog with his brain feeling all mushy. He had always hated the feeling of not being in control of himself, which was the reason he had only ever tried drugs once: they left him feeling so out-of-control that he had almost had a panic attack. He jumped and scowled when a noise from the doorway startled him.

 

“Tori?” Blinking rapidly to bring her into focus, Draco smiled. He had been hoping for Harry, but Astoria was almost as good at that moment.

 

“My God, you are as high as a bloody kite.”

 

He could hear the tears in her voice and frowned, wondering vaguely what had upset her. “What?”

 

A watery laugh was her only response as she moved up to the side of his bed. He leant forward obediently as she reached behind him and adjusted his pillows. Her hands slid over his shoulders and she played with the collar of his pyjamas for a few seconds before he grabbed her wrists, holding her still so he could meet her eyes.

 

“Tori, what’s wrong?”

 

His eyes widened as she took a shuddering breath and climbed carefully onto the bed with him. “You know you’re like a brother to me, Dray. You know that I love you just as much as I love my own sister. You also know that I would do anything for you. But I swear to God, I could just strangle you right now.” She buried her face into his shoulder and he wrapped his arms around her automatically, holding her as she shook. “You promised me you’d be safe tonight. You said you wouldn’t go looking for trouble and that if Ginny showed up, you’d stay out of her way. When I first married you, I thought I’d never get one of these messages, telling me to come to the hospital immediately because you’d been seriously injured. Other women get those messages: the ones who married Aurors and Hit Wizards. You were my safe bet, in more ways than one, but here we are.”

 

She trailed off, her shoulders shaking as the threatening tears finally began to fall. Draco tightened his grip on her, allowing her to cry herself out. A vague sense of guilt tried to be felt through the pain potion, but the potion was too strong for Draco to feel much more than numb. She was right, of course: he had promised her that he would stay safe that night, but there had been extenuating circumstances; circumstances that Draco couldn’t have ignored.

 

“I’m sorry,” he whispered into her hair. “She was trying to hurt him, Tori. I couldn’t just let her take him from me like that.”

 

The truth of the matter was that he had stayed put in the ballroom as long as he could stand. He had promised both Astoria and Harry that he would stay as safe as possible, but with Harry under threat as he was, Draco’s nerves and anxiety had gotten the better of him. The problem he had faced was that there was no way for him to know if Harry was safe or not and the only way to resolve that problem was to physically go and check on him himself. Draco had stood in the doorway for longer than he should have – that he would acknowledge openly if anyone asked – simply watching as Ginevra Weasley completely lost her mind. He had watched her struggle out of the hold the Aurors had on her and had simply not been quick enough to cast any kind of shield before she had hit him with the whatever-it-was she had cast at him. The rest was a blur to him other than the sound of Harry’s voice close by. He knew Harry had saved him, stopped the pain and brought him here to the hospital, but that was all he was really certain about. He loosened his grip when Astoria pushed herself up onto her knees beside him.

 

“Right.”

 

Astoria swiped her hand over her eyes, wiping the tears from her face. He could see the moment when she pushed everything she was feeling to the back of her mind and he almost pulled her back into his arms, but held back; she had her own ways of dealing with things like this and he wouldn’t interfere with them. She offered him a smile before continuing.

 

“I’ll contact the school and pull Scorpius out for the weekend so he can see you himself before the newspapers splash this everywhere; the lawyers will need to be kept up-to-date on what’s happening; the wards on the house will need to be updated and I’ll go and see your parents personally tonight. Is there anything else you can think of that needs doing?”

 

Draco gave in to the impulse to pull her back into his arms as she finished. “You were right the other week, Tori: I wouldn’t have made it anywhere near this far in life without you.” The laugh he received in response was a little watery again and he smiled. “Thank you.”

 

“Lie back down and rest for a little while; I’ll tell Harry he can come in.”

 

Draco figured he wouldn’t be able to properly rest until he had reassured himself that Harry was alright, but it seemed he was wrong on that count. He lay down and closed his eyes for what felt like only a second, but when he reopened them, it was to find that Astoria had left, to be replaced with Harry standing by the door. Draco scowled and attempted to shove himself into a sitting position. This Gods-be-damned pain potion was going to be the death of him. He froze when he felt Harry’s hands on his shoulders, holding him gently in place. Instead of focussing on Harry’s face, Draco’s eyes travelled the length of him, taking in the midnight blue trousers and crisp white shirt he had worn beneath the formal robes that night. The colours contrasted perfectly with his lightly tanned skin and had warm desire pooling in Draco’s stomach before he even had a chance to realise that his mind had wandered. Scowling even more, he tried to focus properly.

 

There was a strange look in Harry’s eyes that Draco had never seen there and it sent a cold shiver through him, replacing the desire quite effectively. Harry’s eyes were never cold, but this look was quite close to being just that: cold and impersonal. It was almost as if someone had handed him a mask that covered everything that Draco knew to be _him_ and it was one of the most terrifying things Draco had ever seen. He pushed it all aside, however, putting it down to the effects of the pain potion.

 

“The Healer says you’re not to put too much strain on yourself tonight.”

 

“You think sitting up in bed counts as strain?” Draco’s insides felt as though they had dropped down into his toes when Harry removed his hands and took a few steps back from him, his eyes still holding that strange, cold look. “Harry?”

 

“I’ve been thinking about what happened tonight,” Harry began and Draco had to restrain himself from hopping out of the bed and shaking him. There was an equally strange, almost monotonous tone to Harry’s voice that matched the impersonal look in his eyes and it was causing the repressed fear to turn Draco’s insides to ice. “I know that there wasn’t anything anyone could have done to prevent what happened, but there is something that I think has to happen to stop it from happening again in the future.”

 

“No.”

 

Harry raised an eyebrow, the gesture so familiar but also quite foreign, considering the look in his eyes. “What?”

 

“I know where you’re heading with this and I won’t let you.” Draco shoved himself up in the bed properly but had to close his eyes briefly as the room spun a little. “I’m not a helpless victim in this, Harry. I knew exactly what I was getting into when we entered this relationship. I won’t let you try to play the martyr because of what’s happened.”

 

That seemed to be enough to break through the shield Harry had been holding up against him and Draco was gratified to see a small crack in his armour as his eyes flashed with emotion. Even still, Draco kept a hand clenched in the sheet beneath him. His heart raced as he watched Harry’s reaction to his words. His guess, it seemed, had been right: Harry was going to try to leave him ‘for his own good’.

 

“If I hadn’t forced this relationship on you, none of this would have happened. If I had just stayed with Ginny and kept my mouth shut–”

 

“If you’d continued playing the martyr, you mean?” Draco interrupted. He knew he was pushing Harry further than he had since they had first started this relationship, but if pissing him off was the only way to break through to the Harry Draco knew and loved, then that was exactly what he would do. Taking a deep breath to try to calm the racing of his heart, he locked eyes with Harry. “I know the kind of life you were living before I came along. I’ve seen so many men absolutely miserable because they couldn’t find the balls to break out of a relationship that was bad for them. That relationship – if that’s what you want to call it – was poisonous for you. She was cheating on you, she obviously doesn’t give a shit about anyone other than herself, and has shown tonight just how unstable she is. Is that the kind of person you really want to be with? To expose your children to?”

 

Draco held his breath, hoping that his words had managed to break through the stubborn bastard’s thick head. Harry stared at him for a long time. Draco had no idea whether he was being measured against something or if Harry was just weighing his words, but he found the wait interminable. Something of this magnitude that had such a big impact on the rest of his life wasn’t something he should be dealing with in his current condition, he knew, but if Harry wanted to force his hand then he wasn’t going to let him go without a fight. Something flashed through Harry’s eyes after a few minutes and he turned from Draco, his arms moving to wrap around his middle.

 

“I’m too dangerous to be with at the moment and you know it. Whether you want to acknowledge it or not, you know that _I_ am the sole reason you’re in here right now. You tried to convince me to back off, to leave you alone, but I forced this on you. If I hadn’t been so selfish, none of this would have happened.” Prompted by the growing need to shake some sense into Harry, Draco slid out of the bed and began to slowly make his way across the room towards him, using Harry’s distraction to his full advantage. “This is what’s best for you and for the kids and that’s what matters.”

 

Draco’s hands clenched as the room spun around him. If he had had full control over his faculties, he would have cursed the stupid sod for doing this to him. He had known Harry had a thing for taking responsibility for things that he had no control over, but this was really taking it too far. He reached out as he came within arms’ reach of Harry and grabbed a handful of his shirt.

 

“What are you...?” Harry spun around and stepped forward, pulling Draco into a tight embrace, balancing him out as he staggered a little. “You’re not supposed to be out of bed.”

 

“And _you’re_ not supposed to be being such an arse.”

 

Draco wound his arms around Harry’s shoulders, using the embrace to stop the room from spinning around him. His eyes slid closed and he let his head fall forward onto Harry’s shoulder. He knew Harry was supporting most of his weight and tried to adjust his stance so he could stand properly, but Harry wouldn’t allow it. Being held so close helped to relieve some of the fear that Harry really was going to leave him, but it couldn’t stop all of it.

 

“I love you.”

 

Draco smiled. “I know.”

 

A small huff of what could have been a laugh sounded right near to Draco’s ear as Harry slowly began to move them back towards the bed. “I need to know that you’re safe.”

 

“And what better way to ensure that I am safe than for me to be by the side of the Head Auror?”

 

Harry’s grip on him tightened a little and Draco heard him let out a shaky breath. “Draco, I–”

 

“Stop.” Draco pulled back, ignoring the way the room spun as he locked eyes with Harry. “You’re worth the risk.”

 

Harry’s mouth opened and closed a few times and something flashed through his eyes that caused Draco’s stomach to flip. It took a few seconds, but Harry eventually gave up on speaking and drew him into a soft kiss. Draco leant into it, enjoying the feeling of the fear dissipating, but it didn’t last anywhere near long enough for his taste. Harry pulled back and scooped Draco back up onto the bed, lifting him as though he weighed nothing at all. It wasn’t until he was back on the bed that Draco realised that he had been shaking with the exhaustion that was running through him. His eyes closed of their own accord as Harry shifted him down beneath the covers. He managed to grasp a handful of Harry’s shirt before he moved away from the bed.

 

“Stay with me.”

 

“I’ll stay as long as you want me.”


	29. Chapter 29

_Pain flashed across Draco’s forehead, through his sinuses and down his jaw as the curse hit him. It was quickly followed by the racing heart and nausea of pure panic as he realised what had happened: Ginevra had struggled free, grabbed the wand of the Auror nearest her and had aimed straight for him. He hadn’t been fast enough, hadn’t been able to cast a shield to prevent it from hitting him and was now about to pay the price for his slow reflexes._

_His eyes closed as he staggered from the force of the blow. When he reopened them, everything was red. Blood poured down his face, soaking through his robes, covering his hands and beginning to pool on the floor in front of him as he landed on his knees. He had managed to avoid this kind of serious injury even during the War, so the colour and smell surprised him a little as he stared down at it. His head spun, although whether it was from the sudden loss of blood or from the combination of panic and fear rushing through him, he had no idea. He knew he was going to die and his only thoughts at that moment were of the promises he had made to both Astoria and Harry to stay safe. They were both going to be so disappointed in him..._

 

“Draco!”

 

Harry’s cry in the dream combined with the shout that finally dragged Draco back into consciousness. Draco took a shuddering breath as he sat bolt upright in the hospital bed, his heart racing. He was drawn immediately into a loose embrace, which he leant gratefully into. Harry let out a small, amused sound and tightened his grip a little, now holding Draco securely. Unwilling to fight against the comfort that was obviously being offered, he closed his eyes and listened to the soothing voice murmuring in his ear. There was no real meaning to the words, but the tone was what Draco desperately needed. Low, familiar and reassuring, that voice was what kept him grounded as the panic from the nightmare receded.

 

The dream had been so real, so vivid, that he was having trouble preventing himself from jerking away from the embrace and checking to make sure he wasn’t still covered in his own blood. It had to still be there: there was no way something like that hadn’t been real. The impulse nearly overwhelmed him before he gave himself a mental shake. Caught between fighting back against the pain potion dulling his usual reactions and his need to have some kind of mental barrier between himself and the rest of the world, his only physical reaction was to clench his hand in the back of Harry’s shirt. He would fight against the numbness the potion forced on him and he _would_ win. A softly murmured _Lumos_ pulled him out of his thoughts.

 

“It’s alright; you’re safe. Here, see for yourself.”

 

Draco came very close to clinging to the back of the soft shirt Harry wore to prevent him from pulling away, but he controlled the impulse, mentally cursing the potion. True to his word, it seemed that Harry had been asleep on the armchair beside Draco’s bed, if the crinkles in his shirt and the state of his hair were anything to go by. The idea caused warmth to spread through Draco’s stomach and he smiled as he took the handle of the wand Harry offered him. Instead of checking himself, though, he used the light to study Harry’s face.

 

“Have you slept at all?” Bags had begun to form beneath Harry’s eyes and he kept blinking in the light, almost as though he was trying to keep his eyes open. Draco shook his head. “Don’t exhaust yourself for me.”

 

Harry chuckled and the accompanying smile caused the warmth pooling inside Draco to turn rapidly to desire. “You’ve only been asleep for an hour and a half. There has been so much going on in that time that I haven’t had time to even sit down, let alone try to sleep.” He held a hand up to silence Draco when he opened his mouth to ask what he was talking about. “I’ll tell you all about it in the morning. Right now, we both need sleep.”

 

Knowing that Harry was right, Draco silently handed him his wand back. The thought that Harry had handed over his own wand without hesitation flittered through Draco’s mind, but he pushed it aside for the time being; there would be time to ponder Harry’s actions later on, when he was thinking clearer. He grabbed Harry’s sleeve when he made to get off the bed.

 

“Stay here.”

 

Harry raised an eyebrow, the action bringing back the memory of earlier in the night. This time it was accompanied by the flash of a smirk across Harry’s face that immediately separated the two moments in Draco’s mind. This was the Harry he had fallen for, not the cold, hard man he had been faced with just a couple of hours before and the difference was so obvious that it almost had him laughing in relief.

 

“You’re not supposed to be getting excited tonight.”

 

Draco rolled his eyes, unable to completely prevent the smile that spread across his face. “That’s not what I meant and you know it, you bloody child,” he muttered. “If you want to sleep in that chair all night, go right ahead. I’m not the one who’ll wake up all stiff.”

 

He settled back down on the bed with his back to Harry as his words caused Harry to snigger. The change in Harry’s demeanour was having the effect of relaxing Draco much faster than anything else Harry could have done and his earlier exhaustion was catching up with him quickly. The fact that the Harry he knew and loved was back was what he focussed on as he felt the bed shifting. He had no idea whether Harry was going to take him up on the offer to use the bed or not, but was discovering that knowing that they were alright for the time being was almost as good. Draco smiled when Harry lay down behind him and draped an arm across his waist. The warmth of Harry’s body seeped into him and he leant back against his chest, enjoying the content feeling that settled over him.

 

“Night,” he whispered just as sleep claimed him again.

 

*~*

 

Waking with Draco draped across his chest wasn’t a new sensation for Harry. The warm weight was so familiar to him by now that his only reaction was to wrap an arm around Draco’s waist and try to fall back asleep. His eyes flew open, however, when he heard a small sound, almost like a whimper.

 

“Draco?” His voice was rough and he cleared his throat before trying again. “Are you awake?”

 

Draco shifted on top of him, but didn’t respond. His Auror instincts kicked in to wake him fully when he realised that something was properly wrong and he reached carefully over to the bedside to grab the pain potion that the Healer had left the night before. It had been clear the previous night that Draco didn’t like the idea of the strong potion, but if he was in enough pain that he was almost whimpering in his sleep, then Harry would make sure he took it. He got a better grip of Draco’s shoulders and shook him a little, hoping to not cause more pain.

 

“Come on, wake up. You need to take this.”

 

“No.”

 

Harry rolled his eyes. “Why not?”

 

“Too strong.”

 

“You had seven Healers in here last night stopping the bleeding and making sure you survived the night. I think they’d know what they are talking about when they give you a specific strength.”

 

Harry loosened his grip on Draco’s shoulders when he began to wriggle in his arms. With a groan, Draco shoved himself up on his elbows so he was hovering above Harry. He had yet to open his eyes, but Harry could already see the pain lines forming between his eyebrows.

 

“Give me a few minutes, I need...” Draco paused and frowned, causing Harry to run his hand up his back to his shoulder blades in an automatic gesture of comfort. A small smile touched Draco’s lips before he continued. “What you said last night...”

 

Harry’s stomach dropped and a feeling of great reluctance tensed his muscles. “I’m sorry, but–”

 

“No, let me say this before that stupid potion robs me of the ability to think straight again.” Draco’s eyes opened to pin Harry with a glare and he snapped his mouth shut, not wanting to piss him off, just in case. “About that little meltdown you had. I understand where you’re coming from, but I know what and who I want. You aren’t dangerous; not for me. If there was any chance that you were going to prove to be too risky for me or my family to be around, then I would tell you. As for the press, I’ll be able to shield my family from most of what they can throw at us, just as you can do the same for yours.”

 

Harry closed his eyes, unable to meet Draco’s as shame washed through him. He now realised that trying to leave Draco the way he had the night before had been the coward’s way out of the guilt he had been awash with. He knew he would always feel a little spark of blame over what had happened, but the fact that Draco still trusted him – still wanted him – had put a lot of his doubts to rest. The need to protect Draco from what he had seen as something that would follow him through the rest of his life had overwhelmed him and the only way to fulfil that need that he could see was to push Draco away, the same way he had pushed Ginny away before going Horcrux hunting all those years ago.

 

Draco’s reaction had highlighted the differences between him and Ginny yet again: he had risked further injury to prove to Harry that he was being stupid. It had reinforced the idea in Harry’s mind that Draco wouldn’t take any of his crap, wouldn’t allow him to ‘play the martyr’ as he had put it.

 

The reluctance that had begun to spread through him caused him to squirm uncomfortably, although exactly what the reluctance was over was beyond him at that moment. It had been a while since he had been hit with the fear that Draco would mock him for expressing his feelings for him, so he figured it couldn’t be that. He knew how Draco felt for him and he returned those feelings, so... He shook his head, unable to figure it out. Reopening his eyes, he found Draco watching him with such an intense look that he immediately felt a blush beginning to spread across his cheeks.

 

“Harry?” Draco leant in so that their foreheads touched lightly. “You still with me?”

 

Forcibly pushing his remaining concerns to the back of his mind, Harry offered up a grin. “I told you last night: I’ll be here as long as you want me to be. I’m in this for the long run.” His grin turned to a proper smile when Draco hummed in response. “I _am_ sorry for what’s happened and my reaction to it; you didn’t deserve to be the one she took it all out on. I’ll watch closer for anything else like that from now on, though, whether you think I should be watching out for you or not.”

 

Draco stayed silent for a few seconds before humming in a way that made it sound like he was agreeing with what Harry had said. “Alright.” He rolled off Harry’s chest, his eyes squeezed shut tight. “Potion.”

 

Shaking his head as Draco held his hand out, Harry handed the potion over. If he hadn’t been used to Draco’s peculiar way of interacting with the world around him, he would have thought himself in trouble. He ran a hand absentmindedly down Draco’s chest to come to rest on his hip as he waited for the potion to take effect. His mind wandered back to that first day in Grimmauld as Draco swallowed down the last drops of potion and lay back against the pillows, grimacing in pain. The argument the two of them had had in Harry’s bedroom had ended similarly, with Draco relaxing after getting Harry to admit what he wanted to hear. Refocussing when he felt Draco’s tense muscles loosening, Harry pressed the palm of his hand lightly to Draco’s forehead, knowing that even the heat of that would help with the remnants of the pain. He smiled when Draco leant into the touch.

 

“Better?”

 

“Mmm... much.”

 

Draco opened unfocussed eyes to reveal that his pupils had widened. Harry slid his hand down the side of Draco’s face, smiling as relief rushed through him. He hadn’t realised just how much pressure knowing Draco was in pain had been putting on him, but now that it was abating, it had become obvious. Draco blinked a few times before his eyes locked onto Harry.

 

“Gods, you’re hot all rumpled like that.”

 

Harry chuckled as he leant in to press their lips together in a chaste kiss. He had missed the first hour of the potion the night before because Astoria had gone in before him, then Draco had fallen asleep. It seemed to him that due to the strength of the potion, a lot of the walls that Draco held up had come down, although Harry knew he had seen him struggling against that effect last night. As entertaining as it seemed a Draco with very few filters would be, Harry knew he had to set up boundaries. He would not take advantage of him while he was in this condition, no matter how much Draco may claim to want it.

 

“No sex while you’re high.” He watched as Draco slowly blinked at him before smiling. “Tea?”

 

“A poor substitute.”

 

Harry was unwilling to prevent the laugh that escaped him as he rolled off the bed and pulled his shoes on. Apparently the potion hadn’t stripped Draco of all of his personality if the aristocratic tone his voice had taken on was any indication. He glanced back towards the bed just as he left the room. Draco had lain back against the pillows again, his eyes closed and a small smile touching his lips. He looked peaceful and it was that thought that Harry clung to as he made his way quickly down to what he knew was the best cafe in the hospital. Everything that needed to be done over the next few days was just rushing back to him as he rounded the corner towards the cafe and, not paying attention to where he was going, he crashed into another man.

 

“Shit, sorry! I–” Harry blinked as the man turned around and smiled at him. “Kingsley!”

 

“Good morning, Harry. We weren’t sure if you would be awake this early, so we were just killing time in the cafe here. Would you care to join us?”

 

Harry’s insides froze as Kingsley stepped aside to reveal Molly Weasley sitting on a stool on the opposite side of the table outside the cafe. Her eyes were bloodshot, although whether it was from tears or a lack of sleep, Harry couldn’t tell. Standing there staring at her, a mix of emotions crowded through Harry’s chest, causing his head to spin. Everything seemed to catch up with him in that second and a desperate need for the motherly comfort she had always offered him pushed to the front of his mind. He took a deliberate step backwards to prevent himself from throwing his arms around her.

 

“Molly.” A sense of pride spread through Harry’s chest as he realised he had managed to keep his voice steady despite everything washing through him. “How are you?”

 

“I’ll just leave the two of you to it, then?” Harry glanced over at the sound of Kingsley’s voice; he had almost forgotten the other man was there. “I have to have a private word with Mr. Malfoy and then I’ll need to speak to you as well, Harry. I’ll send you word by Patronus when I’m ready for you if you’re not back upstairs by the time I’m done with Mr. Malfoy.”

 

Harry nodded numbly as Kingsley left him alone with Molly. His chest ached as he turned to meet her eyes again. She was the only true motherly figure he had ever had in his life and the way things had been between the two of them recently had caused him so much pain that he was unsure how this meeting would go. He actually found himself grateful that they were in public because the potential for them to have an audience was, hopefully, going to temper many of both of their more explosive reactions. He almost jumped when Molly cleared her throat.

 

“Sit, please.” Molly waved a hand at the empty chair in front of Harry. “I understand if you don’t want to see me, but we have to have a discussion.”

 

Harry hung his head and bit down on the inside of his mouth to prevent himself from simply blurting out everything he had wanted to tell her over the past six weeks. The confusion currently running through him told him that Molly was right: he really didn’t want to see her at that moment. However, there was also a part of him clinging desperately to the mother/son relationship they had forged over the years and it was this that was causing his head to spin with the contradiction. He moved to sit on the very edge of the chair opposite her without looking up.

 

“The children are safe.”

 

Harry’s head snapped up. He had sent his Patronus to Arthur the night before after he had made certain Draco was safe, asking him to collect the boys from Hogwarts before the news broke in the newspapers that morning. He knew Kingsley had already informed them of what Ginny had done and considering the state Draco had been in the night before, it had been highly unlikely that Harry would have been able to leave to collect them. The response he had gotten had been short, but Arthur had agreed with him that the boys were both much safer with them at the Burrow for the time being. The thought of his kids brought more of the pain that he had been repressing over their situation to the surface and he was gripped by an urgent need to see them, to make sure they were alright. He shoved himself to his feet again.

 

“How are they? Do they – Are they alright? I–”

 

“Harry.” Molly reached out and grabbed his sleeve in a loose grip. “They are as good as can be expected, considering the circumstances. George, Percy and Arthur are all there keeping them occupied.”

 

Harry sank slowly back down into the chair again, his heart racing. It was too much: he couldn’t deal with everything that had happened over the past few weeks on top of having the man he loved lying in a hospital bed. He stared unseeingly down at the tabletop as it all piled in on top of him, causing his chest to ache and his eyes to blur.

 

“I – I can’t... Gods, Molly, I am so sorry. I know Ginny’s your daughter and that you have to stand with her no matter what, but with everything that’s happened...” He shook his head and widened his eyes in an attempt to regain some kind of control over himself. “With the way she’s treated Lily and the boys and has tried to discredit me in the newspapers for everyone to see... I miss having my family around me and getting the kind of support that I have _needed_ this past six weeks. I miss knowing that I have somewhere I’ll always be accepted no matter what I’ve done. I know that after everything that’s gone on, I’ll never have that again, but...”

 

He trailed off as he lost the tight grip he had had on everything and a hot tear splashed down onto his hand. He quickly wiped it on his shirt and took a deep breath, willing himself to get a grip. Biting down on the inside of his bottom lip and clenching his jaw, he took several deep, slow breaths. The hard lump that was forming in his throat as he managed to stop the tears from falling was preventing him from speaking, but it was worth it. He couldn’t show that kind of weakness in front of Molly anymore for fear of having her inform Ginny and Ginny, in turn, selling the story to whichever newspaper would listen to her. He flinched when he felt Molly’s hand rest lightly on his forearm.

 

“Harry, dear, I...”

 

He swallowed against the lump in his throat and took another slow, deep breath before meeting her eyes. “I understand, Molly, I really do.” His voice was thick and he paused to clear his throat and force his emotions down again. “The fact that you’re willing and able to look after the kids while everything is happening here is enough for the time being. I can’t just abandon Draco and I know how you feel about he and I being together, so...” He shrugged and shook his head. “It’s enough.”

 

Molly stared at him for an interminable few seconds before nodding. Harry could almost see her working through her options before responding and was thankful when she finally settled on one. Placing one hand on his shoulder and the other on the back of his head, she drew him down so she could place a kiss on his forehead. He frowned as she pulled back, but she offered up a small smile before he could question her.

 

“Come by the Burrow whenever you have a few minutes of free time. You can see the kids and reassure yourself that they are safe and as happy as they can be at the moment. We can discuss things properly then.” A feeling of loss hit Harry hard as she stepped back from him, but he suppressed it. “We know what Ginny did and what the consequences are likely going to be. I think it would be good for everyone involved to sit down and talk everything out over a cup of tea.”

 

With that, she was gone. Harry sat at the table, simply thinking over what had just happened. Was it possible that he would be able to sort things out with his family after all of this? He knew getting his hopes up on that score was a stupid idea, but he really couldn’t help it: they were his family, no matter how they had all treated each other over the past six weeks.

 

He eventually pulled himself out of his thoughts when the noise level around him increased. Glancing up, he saw that people had started to arrive for visiting hours and the realisation hit him that he had originally only come down here to grab two cups of tea. Gathering himself as much as possible, he wet his hand with a quickly muttered charm and ran it over his eyes, knowing that they must be bloodshot. It was the best he could do, but he knew he must look like shit. The girl behind the counter offered him up a sympathetic smile as she filled his order and he smiled absently back, lost in his own thoughts again.

 

Kingsley’s Patronus met him as he was exiting the cafe with two steaming cups of tea. His stomach swooped: it was time for him to find out exactly how bad the damage was that Ginny had caused and the exact consequences she was likely to suffer.


	30. Chapter 30

It took nowhere near as long to get back up to the Spell Damage ward as Harry had hoped it would. As much as he knew he had to get back, check on Draco and speak to Kingsley, he was finding it difficult to muster the courage for the last of those things. He had never imagined that he would be in this kind of position; that _Ginny_ of all people would put him in this kind of position. This was the woman who he had thought he would be spending the rest of his life with and to be proven so very wrong in such a public way, it was doing his head in. As things stood at that moment, he considered it a very good thing that he had sworn off alcohol for the time being. He shook his head to clear it as he rounded the corner that led to Draco’s room.

 

“Ah, good, you’re back Harry,” Kingsley began as Harry walked up behind him, but Harry held a hand holding one cup of tea up to silence him.

 

“Can you give me a few minutes, Kingsley? I won’t take too long, I swear.”

 

Harry smiled when Kingsley nodded and waved him into the room. Draco was lying almost where Harry had left him, with the only indication that he had moved at all being a few more rumples in the covers and the bed being in the sitting position. Taking a few seconds to simply stand and look at him allowed Harry to shove the rest of the emotions that had overwhelmed him the past few minutes to the back of his mind. He knew there would be time to deal with everything that he had been putting off, but now was not that time. He would take everything as it came and the mess with Ginny was looking to be the next pressing issue that came up.

 

“Are you just going to stare at me, or do I actually get to drink that tea?”

 

Harry smiled. “Watching you has been a very rewarding occupation over the years. Why would I stop now?”

 

Draco’s soft responding laugh was worth the effort Harry had put in to repress everything else. Unfortunately, it seemed that even under the influence of strong pain medication, Draco was able to read him like a book. After he had blinked Harry into focus, Draco shoved himself up into a proper sitting position and pinned him with an assessing look.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

Harry could feel everything he had repressed trying to surface as he made his way over sit on the edge of Draco’s bed. He bit down on the inside of his lip and focussed for a few seconds, willing himself to be able to control it all. Draco’s fingers brushed against his as he handed the cup of tea over.

 

“It’s nothing important; it can wait until later.”

 

He watched as Draco’s features softened and his eyes widened in an unmistakably sympathetic look. It was such an uncharacteristic expression that it had Harry blinking in surprise for a few seconds. It didn’t last long, however, as Draco obviously got control over his emotions again and he scowled as he threw himself back against the pillows. Harry grabbed the Styrofoam cup back from him so he didn’t spill it, allowing him to press the heel of his left hand to his eye.

 

“I hate this fucking potion.”

 

The grimace that accompanied that statement told Harry what he needed to know: Draco was fighting the numbing effects of the potion. He had no idea if it was that that had caused the obvious pain in Draco’s sinuses or if it was the force with which he had thrown himself back against the pillows, but it was clear that he _was_ in pain. Setting Draco’s cup on the bedside, Harry reached out and grasped his left wrist, trying to pull his hand away from his eye.

 

“Come on Draco, stop being so stubborn.”

 

Draco’s right eye opened and he glared at Harry. “Being stubborn has kept me alive for thirty seven years, Potter.”

 

“Yes, well, you don’t need your survival instincts in here.” Harry changed tactics, sliding his hand up and over Draco’s, attempting to lace their fingers together. “And the potion is doing you good.”

 

Anger flashed across Draco’s face and he reached up with his free hand to try to tug Harry’s hand away from him. “Get off me.”

 

Harry let out a gusty sigh as he fought back the urge to shake the git. “Malfoy, I swear to God… Look, fine. You want to lie here in pain, go right ahead. It’s not like I was going to try to Heal it or anything like that.”

 

Harry removed his hand from Draco’s face and shoved himself up onto his feet. Draco’s hand clutching his prevented him from moving, however.

 

“I…” Draco paused and scowled when Harry cocked an eyebrow at him. He sighed. “Forget it. Go.”

 

Harry fought a quick internal battle as he watched Draco turn from him and lie down on the bed again. He hated to see Draco in pain, but if he was determined to be this stubborn over allowing his emotions out or even simply asking Harry to help manage the pain then… He shook his head and sighed again. As much as he wanted to simply walk out the door and go talk to Kingsley, he knew he couldn’t. Leaning over the bed, he placed his hand over Draco’s left eye and cast a wandless Healing charm he had used many times in the field over the years. Draco watched him the entire time, his expression unreadable.

 

“Next time, don’t fight me.”

 

Harry turned and walked off towards the door without waiting to see if Draco would respond at all. Just as he made the doorway, he heard the covers shifting and what sounded like a relieved sigh.

 

“Thank you.”

 

Draco’s tone was reluctant, but free from pain. Harry was smiling as he exited the room.

 

*~*

 

Frowning as he lay in the bed, slowly sipping the tea Harry had bought him, Draco knew he had screwed up. He had overreacted to the feeling of not being in full control over his actions and had lashed out at the most convenient person. The fact that it had been Harry who had copped the brunt of his temper was sending vague waves of guilt through him that he knew were being dulled by the potion. Harry didn’t deserve to be treated that way, especially with everything he was dealing with at the moment. He would have to apologise as soon as Harry got back into the room.

 

“You’ll get wrinkles frowning like that, you know.”

 

Draco jumped and only just barely resisted scowling even more at the sound of Astoria’s voice coming from just inside the door. He hadn’t heard her enter the room, which he put down to the effects of the potion as well. He opened his mouth to respond, but was prevented by Scorpius stepping out from behind his mother.

 

“Dad?”

 

The uncertain tone to Scorpius’ voice tugged on Draco’s insides. Sitting up properly in the bed again and placing his tea on the bedside, he held his hands out.

 

“Come here, Scorp.” Draco smiled when Scorpius rushed forward, climbed up on the bed and wrapped his arms around Draco’s neck. “It’s alright,” he murmured into Scorpius’ ear. “Everyone’s safe.”

 

“The papers this morning said you nearly died last night.” Scorpius pulled back, allowing Draco to see that his face had gone blotchy, although there were no tears. “Is that true?”

 

Draco had to bite back a sigh as he glanced over to Astoria. He couldn’t very well admit to his son that he had actually been in that kind of danger the night before, so the problem he now faced was how much to tell. Astoria wasn’t of any help as she just shrugged and shook her head, a slightly helpless look on her face. Turning his attention back to Scorpius, Draco offered up a small smile, deciding in that moment to go with what Scorpius needed to hear rather than the full truth.

 

“Not really, no. I don’t believe I was in any danger of dying, because Harry was fast enough to Heal me and get me here before the curse could do any major damage.”

 

“He… He Healed you?” Scorpius raised an eyebrow at Draco before turning to glance over to Astoria. When he turned back, his face held a dubious look that almost had Draco grinning at him. “Wasn’t it his wife who cast the curse in the first place?”

 

Realisation dawned through the fog surrounding Draco’s mind: the papers may very well have been claiming that he was blaming Harry for what had happened. It was, technically, a logical leap to make. However, it was completely false. He refocussed and quickly ran through his options for responding.

 

“Harry and Ginevra have been married for a long time, yes, but–”

 

“If he’s married to her then _why_ are you defending him? Why would you want to be with someone who is married to someone like that?”

 

“Because I love him.” Draco caught Astoria’s wide smile behind Scorpius’ back, but ignored it for the time being. “Harry isn’t like Ginevra, Scorp. It’s difficult to explain completely, but believe me, Harry tried to stop her before anything happened.”

 

Scorpius was quiet for a long time, obviously considering what Draco had said. Draco’s eyes wandered over to where Astoria stood as he fought to keep focussed on the matter at hand. She was smiling at him with such affection that he couldn’t help smiling back. Scorpius grabbed his attention again by shifting on the bed.

 

“You love him.”

 

“I do.”

 

“And he loves you?”

 

“He does.”

 

“I–” Scorpius paused and glanced down at his hands folded in his lap. “Alright then. When do I get to meet him?”

 

Draco couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face at the determined tone to Scorpius’ voice. “He’s just talking to the Minister in one of the other rooms. I’m sure he’ll be back shortly.”

 

Scorpius nodded decisively as he backed off the bed and went to claim the chair beside the bed. Draco glanced over to Astoria again to see her eyes shining with amusement. He wanted to get her alone and analyse his reactions to this stupid potion – and have her tell him what an idiot he was for trying to hide everything from Harry – but for the time being, he was quite happy to just know that she and Scorpius were safe.

 

*~*

 

Kingsley didn’t comment on Harry’s wide smile as he entered the waiting room he had been in the night before. What he did do the second Harry had closed the door was to place strong locking and privacy charms on the door and around the room. Everything Harry had successfully managed to suppress bubbled to the surface again, causing nerves to flash through his stomach and a heavy sense of dread to settle over him. As much as he knew that Ginny needed to be punished, he really didn’t like the idea of her being locked away in Azkaban. She was the mother of his children and, before everything had blown up between them, had never treated him poorly. Maybe it would be possible to get her some therapy for whatever it was that had gone wrong? Maybe…

 

“Harry?”

 

Harry took a deep breath as Kingsley’s voice dragged him out of his thoughts. It didn’t help to calm his nerves at all, but it did bring him back to reality. Kingsley was sitting in one of the hard-backed chairs, watching him with as much sympathy as Harry had seen him show while on duty. He offered up a small smile as he grabbed a chair and moved it so he was sitting facing Kingsley.

 

“Alright, what has she told you?”

 

“Straight to the point as usual, Harry.” Kingsley huffed out an amused sound before leaning forward to rest his elbows on his thighs. “To be honest, last night she didn’t do anything much other than rave about how nothing was fair, that she had wasted some of the best years of her life on you, and that the rest of the world deserved to know what a bastard you were. I got sick of listening to it all and left her in isolation for the night, hoping that she would calm down enough to talk to us this morning.”

 

Kingsley paused and Harry’s nerves trembled again. What if Ginny hadn’t calmed down? Or, even worse, what if she had done something completely rash, like try to attack one of the Aurors? What if he had been too absorbed in making sure Draco was safe to make sure that Ginny wasn’t going to do something stupid? He frowned as confusion rushed through him. He really didn’t want Ginny to be beyond help, but he also really wanted her to be punished for what she had tried to do. Prison time was pretty much inevitable, he knew that, but maybe he could swing it so she got placed in a medical facility rather than Azkaban?

 

“We got the results back from what the potion she was carrying on her was.”

 

Harry frowned again. He had almost forgotten about the vial he had seen an Auror – he couldn’t even recall who it had been – had been carrying away from Ginny that night.

 

“And?”

 

“We can’t really tell exactly what is in it, because it looks homemade, but it seems like she was trying to dose you with something resembling a love potion.”

 

Harry blinked as shock sent his mind blank. “What?”

 

“I’m sorry, Harry, I don’t completely understand her motives herself, but I’ll try to explain what she told us.” The few seconds Kingsley paused for made Harry want to shake the rest of the story out of him, but he held back, clenching his hands by his sides. “It seems that after you and Draco trumped her by releasing your story at the same time she released hers, she came to realise that there is much more support out there for you than she had anticipated. From what I can tell, she was hoping that you would be shunned and ridiculed by the whole of wizarding Britain. However, once the initial shock had died down, it seems like things have settled a bit, correct?” Harry nodded silently; it had been a while since someone had muttered something derogatory at him in public. “I thought so. Since she seems to have been counting on you being abused badly enough to want to leave London at the very least, she wasn’t expecting the shock value of what she had revealed to die down so soon. She is discovering what the Ministry discovered during the War: it is very difficult to convince the entirety of the wizarding world that Harry Potter is anything other than what he presents himself as. The knowledge that she wasn’t going to be able to convince the rest of the world that you were the monster she tried to tell them you were pushed her to try another tactic–”

 

“Convincing me to stop the divorce!” Harry leant back in the chair as memories flooded through him. “She came to Grimmauld earlier this week to try to do the same thing, but I thought she was just trying to dump Lily on me for the week.”

 

“You obviously turned her down,” Kingsley continued with a smile. “Because she was apparently going to try to dose you with this homemade potion last night.”

 

Harry’s eyes glazed a little as he stared into the space between them. Ginny had been trying to dose him with a love potion? While not illegal, it was highly immoral. Add onto that fact that she had cursed Draco and resisted arrest and it all spelled out that she needed some serious psychological help. He glanced back up to see Kingsley watching him intently.

 

“So she’s going to be thrown into the prison here in St. Mungo’s, right? I mean, she obviously needs help that Azkaban can’t give her, so having her put in there won’t help a bit.”

 

Kingsley smiled. “Well, she’s going to have to be transferred to Azkaban until her trial, but I agree with you. She really does need some kind of help for her mental health. It’s not up to either of us what the judge will sentence her to, but you will be asked to testify at her trial, so maybe you could try to influence them in some way? No matter what you did after the War, the Ministry always at least listened to your opinions, even if we didn’t follow through on all of your suggestions.”

 

Harry nodded as his mind raced. Ginny needed the kind of help that St. Mungo’s could give her, so maybe he would be able to get her that help. The idea of having her thrown away in Azkaban instead of trying to get her the help she needed caused a combination of fear and guilt to shoot through him, so he knew what he would be asking for when they asked him to testify. Whether Draco would agree with that decision was another question, but he would leave that up to Draco to decide.

 

“So, er, I’ve got to get to the Burrow and check on my kids and the courts aren’t open on the weekends anyway, so I can expect to hear something on Monday?”

 

Kingsley nodded as he stood up. “We’ll try to get the court date settled at least, but I can’t say how soon it will be.” Harry stood as well, watching as Kingsley seemed to relax a little. “Thank you for not causing a fuss over this, Harry. I know how difficult the past few months have been for you, with everything that has happened with Ginny and the press, but you’ve handled it quite well.”

 

Harry offered a smile as they shook hands. Kingsley un-warded the room again and they separated after exchanging thanks and goodbyes. Harry made his way automatically back into Draco’s room, needing to know that he was alright again after his little temper tantrum earlier. He was greeted by Astoria.

 

“Harry!” She leant in to place a kiss on his cheek and he smiled down at her in response. “You’re looking well, considering.”

 

Unable to resist, Harry rolled his eyes. “Thanks a lot.”

 

He moved into the room to find Draco sitting up the bed with a table over his lap. A chess set was set up and for a split second, it appeared to Harry that Draco was playing against a younger version of himself. He blinked his eyes rapidly and the differences between Draco and the boy before him started to become clear.

 

“Care to join us?”

 

Harry moved to the side of the bed and ran a hand down Draco’s back in greeting. “So you can show off how good you are? Not likely.” Turning to face the boy – who could only have been Scorpius – he held out a hand. “Harry Potter.”

 

He let out a short bark of laughter when Scorpius finished the game before them in one swift move, placing Draco in checkmate. Meeting Harry’s eyes, Scorpius took his hand and shook it solemnly.

 

“Scorpius Malfoy, Mr. Potter, glad to meet you. Are you sure you don’t want to play me?”

 

Stifling his laughter with great difficulty, Harry shook his head. “If you can beat him like that, you’d slaughter me. And please, call me Harry.”

 

Scorpius nodded before setting the pieces up again. Harry’s eyes drifted down to lock with Draco’s and the amusement he saw there set much of his worries over what was coming to the back of his mind again. Running his hand up Draco’s back again to squeeze his shoulder, he moved away to sit on one of the hard chairs beside Astoria. It seemed that, for the time being at least, everything here was fine. Now he just had to get back to the Burrow, confront Molly and the rest of the family, as well as try to comfort his children. It was going to be a long day.


	31. Chapter 31

Harry’s hands clenched and unclenched repeatedly as he made his way towards the Burrow that night. He had no idea what to expect when he reached the house, but he wasn’t really expecting a warm reception. No matter how many times he had told himself that Molly herself had invited him, he still couldn’t shake the sensation that he was going to be ignored by most, if not all, of the family. And, unfortunately, he still found the idea understandable, no matter how much it hurt.

 

“Dad!”

 

He grinned and knelt down as he turned the corner and saw Lily come pelting out of the Burrow. She threw herself into his arms before he could adjust his position to be able to take her weight and he nearly fell on his arse. The laugh he let out as he just prevented himself from overbalancing from the force of the impact was completely involuntary and sounded so relieved to his ears that it surprised him a little. A quiet snuffle in his ear soon stifled any good feelings that were running through him, though.

 

“Oh, Lils, I am so sorry…”

 

She wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. He responded in kind, because he knew that he couldn’t offer any further explanation about Ginny’s behaviour now than he could when Lily had first asked him. His automatic reaction of stroking his hand between her shoulder blades in a gesture of comfort didn’t seem to be helping at all and neither did the meaningless words he couldn’t stop murmuring. There was absolutely nothing he could do to help either her or the boys to feel any better about the situation and the feeling of helplessness caused his hands to tremble a little as Lily pulled back from him.

 

“Will Mum be alright?”

 

Harry shrugged helplessly and shook his head, unsure of how to respond. How the hell did he explain to his ten-year-old that her mother was going to be locked away for what seemed like it was going to be a long time? Lily wasn’t a stupid child and would know if he was lying to her, so pretending that everything was going to be normal from now on in wouldn’t work. He sighed. The truth was always the best way to go, he knew.

 

“I don’t honestly know, Lil. We’ll try to get her all the help she needs so she will eventually get better, but I don’t even know exactly what’s wrong yet.”

 

Lily stared at him for a few seconds, obviously considering his words. He knew she was intelligent enough to realise that something big had gone wrong. All he could really hope, for both her and the boys, was that he could try to keep them from suffering too much from this. He had seen enough children who had needed therapy from the trauma caused by their parents getting a divorce and dragging them into the proceedings, using them as pawns in their fight against each other. He was determined that his own children wouldn’t follow that path. He returned his attention to Lily when she took a deep breath.

 

“So… When she left me… That was because she’s sick?”

 

Harry moved to scoop her into his arms again as pain flashed through his chest. He knew that children were resilient, but for Lily to be willing to forgive Ginny for treating her the way she had… He needed for this loyalty to not come back to bite Lily later on, because he couldn’t bring himself to disabuse her of the idea.

 

“I think so, Lil. Your Mum loves you and the boys so much, but she needs help.”

 

Lily seemed to weigh his words again, but the silence was much shorter this time. “What about Draco?”

 

Harry blinked. “Draco? What about him?”

 

“Are we still going to see him? Grandma said that Draco was hurt because of something Mum did, but you saved him.”

 

Smiling as he stood and slowly made his way towards the house, Harry felt the mild confusion that had settled over him lifting. “He’s in the hospital at the moment, but he’ll be fine. I can take you to see him tomorrow, if you want.”

 

“So you’re still with him then.”

 

Harry’s head whipped around at the strange tone to James’ voice. He stopped in place when he realised that James was blocking his entry to the Burrow, his arms crossed across his chest. Al stood a little behind James, a worried look in his eyes as he glanced between the two of them. Harry had had the feeling that James would be the difficult one in this situation and, unfortunately, Albus tended to follow along with whatever James did or said. Kneeling down so he could deposit Lily on the ground, Harry took a breath to respond, but was cut off.

 

“I like Draco.” Lily moved to stand in front of Harry, her hands on her hips. “Dad’s happy, so what business is it of _yours_?”

 

“Lily,” Harry began in a warning tone, but was cut off again.

 

“Mum and Dad are getting divorced because of him!” James took a step forwards, allowing Al to slip out of the house behind him. “Why can’t anything in this family be normal? My friends all have normal families, even the divorced ones. And just because _you_ like him probably means _I_ won’t!”

 

“Alright, you two, that’s enough.” Harry stood, placed a hand on Lily’s shoulder and stepped between them. “Lily, I appreciate the support, but provoking your brother isn’t a nice thing to do. James, we can discuss this later.”

 

“No.”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“You want to ‘discuss’ this? Do it now. Why would you want to stay with someone who destroyed your marriage? I read your version of what happened and I read Mum’s. You know what’s the same in both? _He_ broke up your marriage. You were happy before he came along but now, all of a sudden, you’re not.”

 

Harry glanced over to where Al stood a few steps away, looking between him and James. Lily still hadn’t backed off, standing in front of James, her hands clenched in anger. Harry shook his head. This is not the way he had hoped this meeting would begin, but at least he had been expecting some kind of resistance from one of the boys.

 

“Al, could you take your sister inside, please? I need to have a word with James.” Albus sighed, but took Lily’s hand to drag her into the house behind him. Harry waited a few more seconds before speaking again. “I understand that you’re angry over the divorce, but Draco didn’t break us up. He opened my eyes to who I really am and what I want out of life, but your Mother and I aren’t divorcing _because_ of him. This divorce would have happened eventually anyway, once I realised how truly unhappy I actually was.”

 

“But…”

 

James spun on his heel and stomped off across the grass away from Harry. He was obviously struggling with one of the things Harry had said, but which one was up for debate. Harry contemplated following him for a few seconds, but decided to let him go for the time being. There was no reason to crowd him when he obviously needed space. James stopped with his back to Harry, halfway across the yard.

 

“You didn’t even wait until you’d broken up with Mum before getting into another relationship. I don’t care that it’s with another guy, but did you really not care about Mum that much? All those years of marriage and you can just throw her away like that?” He spun around, his hands clenching by his sides and eyes flashing with anger. “What does that mean about me and Al and Lily? Are we going to be replaced as well?”

 

Harry’s lips compressed as a deep sadness washed through him. Was it possible that what Ginny had told the boys a few weeks back had stuck in James’ mind, or was this coming solely from him? There was no way to tell, but Harry knew that he had to clear this up. Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly, raised his hands in a gesture of peace and moved over to the bench that he had sat on to have a similar discussion with Arthur not that long ago.

 

“Jamie, I know that it all seems sudden and parts of it really were: I had no idea about my preferences before Draco came along. The thing is, neither your Mother nor I were happy in this marriage. Truly happy people don’t cheat on their spouses, no matter the circumstances. Now, I’m not trying to excuse what I did – or what your Mother did, for that matter – but us being together wasn’t working. It took me a long time to realise it, but now that I know what true love feels like, I couldn’t go back to what I had with your Mother.”

 

James stood there and stared at Harry for a long time, his hands clenched by his sides. Harry found himself unable to unclench his own hands in his lap, but he figured it was for a completely different reason. His stomach fluttered with nerves as he watched James watching him. It was amazing to him just how important he found his kids being able to accept this, despite knowing that it shouldn’t surprise him at all.

 

“You love him.”

 

“I do.”

 

“And you don’t love Mum.”

 

Harry knew in that moment that things weren’t going to go anywhere as smoothly as he had hoped they would and steeled himself for the explosion he figured was inevitable. “No, I don’t.”

 

Anger flashed across James’ face, but instead of screaming, or hitting Harry, all he did was glare. “You’re right: we can ‘discuss’ this later.”

 

With that, he stalked off around the side of the house, leaving Harry sitting in the front yard by himself. Harry sighed and fell back against the back of the bench, thunking his head against the hard wood of the house. He knew that wishing that all three of his children would simply accept the divorce was stupid, but figured that having the hope that one part of his life could go smoothly wasn’t too much to ask. He gathered himself, however, knowing that he still had the rest of the family to face.

 

*~*

 

“He’s taking this awfully well.” Astoria’s voice was pitched low so as not to wake Scorpius up, but Draco heard her fine. “Suspiciously well.”

 

Draco blinked the haze from his eyes – the Healer had just been in to administer another dose of pain potion – before glancing over to where Astoria sat, then back to Scorpius asleep on the other side of the room. Scorpius had taken the news that Draco and Harry were still together surprisingly well, but exactly what that meant, Draco had no idea. He knew that Scorpius wasn’t the kind of child to make a scene over many things, but this was an entirely new situation for all three of them. Turning back to Astoria, he shrugged.

 

“You don’t think he’s planning on making things difficult, do you?”

 

“Not _planning_ on it exactly, no.” Astoria ran a hand through her hair, still staring at Scorpius. “But what if he knows Harry’s boys and doesn’t get along with them? If these kids don’t get along at all, then I can’t see either of you two being happy for very long.”

 

Draco closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around his waist as his chest ached at the idea. The thought of losing Harry at this point, after everything they had been through, was more painful than he would ever admit aloud, but he knew he had to think of Scorpius first. If the children couldn’t – or wouldn’t – get along, then Astoria was right: the relationship wouldn’t survive long. He shifted in the bed, using the movement to distract himself from the ache in his chest.

 

“Maybe it won’t be so bad with the boys because they’re in school most of the year.” He opened his eyes again when he heard her let out a small noise, almost like a soft sigh. “You don’t think so?”

 

Astoria offered him a small smile before moving so she could bend over and place a soft kiss on his forehead. “I love that you love him enough to try to figure ways around something like that. However, we can’t know if they’ll get along or not. I have the feeling that Lily will hold on for as long as possible, though: she seems to like you a lot.”

 

Draco returned her smile. Lily really did seem to like him and he felt the same way about her. When Astoria had fallen pregnant, Draco had been secretly hoping for a girl. He loved Scorpius with everything he had and would never give him up for anything, but he had always wanted a daughter. Not that he would ever admit that to Astoria, or anyone else, for that matter.

 

“She’s a good kid. Perhaps she’ll be able to influence the boys.” He could feel the pain potion working its way through his system, dulling his mind and trying to force him to sleep. He fought against it for the time being, however. “Tori, I know he loves me. And I love him. Maybe that’ll be enough.”

 

He blinked up at her when he felt the bed being lowered down. Her soft laugh reached his ears just as his eyes were closing again.

 

“Maybe it will. Sleep now; we can talk about this in the morning.”

 

It was the last thing he heard.

 

*~*

 

Harry glanced around the dining room table, his hands once again clenched in his lap. George and Percy had decided to stay the weekend at the Burrow, apparently so they could be present for his interrogation. Harry knew he could rely on Percy, but George had been shooting him strange looks since he had entered the house a few minutes before.

 

Thankfully, Arthur had been able to find James and bring him back inside, so that was one worry off Harry’s mind. He was now upstairs with his brother and sister and Harry could only hope he and Lily didn’t come to blows over this. He sat back in his chair as a cup and saucer landed in front of him.

 

“Tea?”

 

“Thanks.”

 

At least the civility that Molly had shown him at the hospital hadn’t left yet. Maybe George was going to be the only one who was going to make things difficult. He wrapped his hands around his cup when the teapot stopped pouring, using the cup to stop himself from clenching and unclenching his fists. With what had happened with James, Harry really wasn’t expecting the rest of the night to go any better. He knew that none of the Weasleys truly approved of his relationship with Draco, but, technically, that wasn’t what he was there to discuss. Technically, he was there to discuss Ginny and the punishment she was to receive for what she had done. If he was very lucky, then Draco wouldn’t even be brought up at all.

 

“So, I believe we need to have a proper discussion about what has been happening to this family over the past few months.”

 

Harry raised his eyes from his tea to lock with Molly’s as she took a seat at the table, two chairs away from him. She sounded almost as nervous as he was feeling and he couldn’t help offering her a small smile. The fact that she had apparently included him in with the rest of the family hadn’t escaped him, but there was no way he was going to make a big deal over it.

 

“Now, I know that there are things that have happened that will be difficult to overcome. I’m still having trouble understanding quite a bit of what has happened, but I’m hoping we can come to some sort of arrangement so that, one day in the future, we can all get back to something resembling what we have had over the years.”

 

Harry bit down on his tongue to prevent himself from snorting in disbelief. He knew that it would prove damn near impossible for the Weasleys and the Malfoys to ever get along, but at least Molly was apparently willing to try to understand his side of things.

 

“Harry, I know that you’ve spoken with Kingsley about what will happen to Ginny–”

 

“Why should she be punished for standing up for herself?”

 

Harry caught himself just in time before he let out a frustrated sigh. “Maybe because she almost killed someone?” He knew he was making things worse, but really, how else was he expected to react? “And because she was apparently trying to dose me with some kind of home-brewed love potion?”

 

“Well maybe if that ‘someone’ wasn’t a home wrecker–”

 

“Now, now, boys!” Arthur’s hand landed on Harry’s shoulder, keeping him in place as he went to shove himself up from his chair. “This isn’t why we’re here.”

 

Harry kept his eyes lowered, staring into his cup as his heart raced. The amount of adrenalin that had begun to pump through his veins the second George insulted Draco was causing his head to spin and his breath to come in short bursts. However, he managed to keep his mouth shut in the hope that someone else would shut George up about Draco and they could all refocus.

 

“If that’s not why we’re here, then why is _he_ here?”

 

Harry’s jaw clenched. “I’ll get the kids and go.”

 

“No.” Harry forced himself to glance up at the sound of Molly’s firm voice. “You are here because _I_ invited you. As are you, George. You two _will_ get along for the next few minutes, or you will suffer the consequences.”

 

Harry nodded and lowered his eyes to his tea cup again. He knew the threat was hollow, but the respect that he still – perhaps foolishly – held for Molly kept him in line. With his eyes downcast as they were, he didn’t see George’s reaction, but figured it must have been something similar to his own.

 

“Good.” Molly appeared to have appointed herself the mediator in this situation, which Harry was quite thankful for. “Now, something like this deserves a lot more time than we all have, but we’ll push through. We all know that Ginny is currently being held in a waiting cell for what she did. Kingsley wasn’t able to give me any details on exactly what happened other than that Ginny cast a curse that had the potential to cause serious, permanent damage. He – he said that it’s probable that she will be sentenced to Azkaban for it…”

 

Molly trailed off when her voice faltered. Harry knew how much having Ginny had meant to both Molly and Arthur, but he still couldn’t feel as sympathetic towards her as he knew they all did. Sure, he was willing to try to get her the help she obviously needed, but beyond that, he was done with her. Not that he would voice that opinion to Molly and Arthur. He cleared his throat and gestured to Molly, asking for permission to speak. He smiled when she waved a hand at him.

 

“I don’t know how much I’m allowed to tell you because I’m now retired and not a part of the active investigation, but Kingsley and I agree that Ginny needs some serious professional help. We discussed trying to get her admitted to the prison section of St. Mungo’s rather than trying to have her thrown in Azkaban. They’ll be able to help her a lot more in the hospital than if she was in the prison proper.”

 

He fell silent, glad that they had managed to steer the conversation away from Draco again. If he could keep everyone else’s attention focussed on Ginny and what had happened there rather than on Draco and their relationship, he would leave the house happy.

 

“So what you’re saying is that you want to try to get my sister put in a mental hospital?”

 

Unable to help it this time, Harry sighed. “Yes, George. It’s what she needs. Would you prefer she be stuck on a rock in the middle of the ocean? Because that’s the alternative: Azkaban or the hospital.” Azkaban had been improved over the years since the War, with the Dementors being replaced by Aurors, but it was still not what Harry could ever consider a nice place to visit. “They’re not simply going to let her get away with what she did without being punished.”

 

“You mean _you_ aren’t.”

 

Arthur wasn’t fast enough this time to prevent Harry from pushing his chair back and standing to face George. His hand flew to the side of his trousers, placing his fingers over the handle of his wand as George matched his actions.

 

“You have something to say to me, Harry?”

 

Taking a slow, deep breath, Harry met George’s eyes without hesitation. “Draco almost bled to death because of what Ginny did. In fact, if I hadn’t had the kind of training I have had, he probably would have bled out on me at the ballroom. The man I love is lying in a hospital bed because of Ginny and you’re standing here arguing with me over whether she should be punished for it or not?”

 

“Harry–”

 

He turned and smiled at Molly as she stood as well. “I’m sorry, Molly, but I can’t stand here and listen to this. Thank you for trying; I really do appreciate it.”

 

Harry exited the dining room before anyone could try to stop him and called up the stairs to his kids. Apparently he was going to have to wait to see whether things could be patched up here, but it seemed like he had made a somewhat positive start. If only George hadn’t been there…

 

“Harry?”

 

He spun around at the sound of Molly’s voice behind him. Before he could respond, however, Lily landed beside him, obviously having jumped down the last few steps.

 

“Are we going home now?”

 

“No, dummy, we’re going to Grimmauld.”

 

Harry sighed. “Don’t call your sister names, James. Yes we are going to Grimmauld; go say goodbye to everyone.”

 

Molly stayed where she was as all three children filed past them. Butterflies fluttered through Harry’s chest when Al disappeared through the door to the dining room, leaving them alone.

 

“I really am sorry, Molly, but I couldn’t listen to that any longer.”

 

She nodded silently and Harry could tell that she had been crying again as she lifted her head. “Did you mean what you said?”

 

Biting back another sigh, he nodded as well. “They’ll ask me to speak at Ginny’s trial and I will recommend placing her into St. Mungo’s rather than Azkaban. I can’t guarantee they’ll take my advice, but it’s all I can do.”

 

What he didn’t add was that it was all he was willing to do. As much as he knew that this was what Ginny needed, she _had_ almost killed Draco. If it truly came down to it, he knew that he would choose Draco and his wellbeing over Ginny any day. He shook himself out of his thoughts when Molly began to speak again.

 

“No, I know I can trust you to keep your word on that. What I was asking about…” She paused, a look of uncertainty crossing her face. “Do you love him?”

 

Harry blinked. Had he really said that to George? He supposed he must have; not that it was a bad thing that the family knew how he felt for Draco.

 

“I do, yes.”

 

He watched as Molly’s eyes closed and she took a shaky breath. He had no idea how she was going to react, but it seemed he would have to wait to find that one out as well, as the kids all piled through the door almost on top of one another. Molly hugged each of them in turn, promising to see them all again soon. Harry offered up a small smile as he turned to follow them to the floo. Molly grabbed his hand just before he could enter the living room, however.

 

“I hope we’ll be seeing you soon, too, Harry.”

 

He exited the Burrow feeling lighter than he had in a long time. Maybe, if luck was finally on his side, things would start to look up.


	32. Chapter 32

“We will try lowering the dosage from tomorrow, Mr. Malfoy.”

 

Draco blinked up at the Healer as he felt the latest dose of pain potion seeping through his veins. “Good,” he murmured. “I much prefer to be in full control of my faculties.”

 

He closed his eyes and lay back against the pillows. He had spent the night alone last night: Astoria had taken Scorpius home to sleep and Harry had been looking after his own kids. It had been odd, falling asleep by himself in a strange room, but if he had to tell the absolute truth, it was odd having to fall asleep by himself at all these days. He had come to rely on having Harry there with him – whether they were in the suite in the Manor, or in their room at Grimmauld – and the bed had seemed cold without him.

 

“Dad?”

 

Draco reopened his eyes to see Scorpius beaming at him from beside the bed. He hoped that the potion hadn’t forced him to sleep again, but he was placing no bets on that count. He smiled when Scorpius almost began to bounce in his enthusiasm.

 

“What has you so excited?”

 

“You’ll never guess who arrived at the Manor last night!”

 

Draco scrubbed a hand over his eyes, trying to clear some of the numbness from his mind. “You don’t actually want me to guess, do you?”

 

Scorpius let out a laugh, but Draco's attention was grabbed by movement at the door. He smiled again when Astoria entered the room, but that smile disappeared when confusion rushed through him. Widening her eyes and gesturing, Astoria was obviously trying to tell him something without actually saying anything, but with the potion dulling everything, Draco had no chance of working it out. He mentally began to curse himself, the Healers and the world in general when a flash of blonde hair behind Astoria indicated the arrival of his mother. Draco blinked stupidly for a few seconds before recovering enough to react appropriately.

 

“Mother, this is a surprise.”

 

He shoved himself up and waved his wand at the bed to sit it up properly. While the bed was moving, he leant forward so his Mother could place a kiss on his cheek and fuss over him for a few seconds. He had always had a good relationship with both of his parents – no matter what the papers wanted to print about them – and beneath the surprise he could feel a sense of gratitude that they had made the effort to come see him. Despite the fact that they now lived in a completely different country, Draco still felt guilty that he didn’t go see them as often as he should. They were only a quick floo trip away, after all. He cleared his throat before he continued in an attempt to stop his mind from straying from the conversation.

 

“Are you here alone?”

 

“Of course not, dear, your Father will arrive shortly.” She fussed with his pillows and the covers of his bed before stepping back to run her eyes over him. “Are you absolutely certain St. Mungo’s is where you want to be? There are a lot of hospitals in France that are much finer than this where you could have your own private room. St. Mungo’s has always seemed so… pedestrian, darling.” She sniffed affectedly and waved her fingers towards the stiff-backed chairs Astoria and Harry had been occupying for the past 24 hours. “They cannot even provide sufficient seating for your guests.”

 

“My family is in England, Mother.” The strange, almost wary look he received in response made him wonder if she thought he was referring to Harry, but he ignored it for the time being. “So are my business contacts. I can’t just uproot and move to another country because you believe the healthcare is better.”

 

“It has nothing to do with my beliefs, Draco; it is a simple fact that the French Healers are better than the British ones. They are better paid and there is more of them so they aren’t overworked. The mere fact that you could choose private healthcare over public should be enough to sway your decision.” It seemed as though she was about to say more, but she paused when Lucius entered the room.

 

“Do leave the boy alone, Narcissa. He is a man grown and can make his own life choices.”

 

Draco almost smiled as his Father entered the room, but caught himself just in time. There was no way he was going to give his Mother any extra reason to badger him about his choice of hospitals by allowing the potion to force him to act out of character in front of them. Lucius hadn’t changed all that much over the years, with the only real difference Draco could see from when he was a child being the streaks of white through his long hair and a few more wrinkles. He still held himself with all the quiet dignity that Draco had respected so much growing up and when that dignity was combined with the pitch black of his robes and the aristocratic set of his features, he was still intimidating, even at 63 years of age.

 

“Good morning, Father.”

 

“Good morning, Draco. I trust that despite your Mother’s fears, you are being treated equitably.” He moved to stand beside Narcissa and glanced around the room, his opinion of it obviously on par with that of his wife’s. “Although, considering certain of your choices recently, I would be wary of this one as well.”

 

 _Ah, here we go._ Draco's lips stretched into a tight smile that he had trouble not turning into a grimace.

 

“Tori, could you take Scorpius to the café? Perhaps he would like something sweet to eat before lunch.”

 

The concerned look Astoria shot him as she silently guided Scorpius out of the room was followed by a quick roll of her eyes. Draco offered her a real smile, one that he didn’t have to force, before turning back to his parents.

 

“Won’t you sit? If you are to interrogate me over my choice of partner, you may as well be comfortable.”

 

A small crease of worry formed between Narcissa’s eyes, but Lucius turned and transfigured two of the chairs into ones that looked much softer. Draco merely watched, not wishing to encourage any ideas that he was ashamed of Harry and their relationship in any way. He had to wonder as he waited for his parents to get comfortable why everyone important in his life had chosen to have life-changing discussions with him while he was on this pain potion? Was he truly that difficult to deal with normally? He shook his head to clear it when he realised he had allowed his mind to wander again.

 

“Your Mother and I have been aware of your orientation since you were in Hogwarts.”

 

Draco merely nodded as Lucius settled himself into one of the chairs. It was no surprise that they had worked out that he had no interest in Pansy or any other female he had come across; it wasn’t like he had been subtle back then, after all.

 

“We have never disapproved of that side of you, Draco dear,” his Mother continued, obviously trying to soften Lucius’ slightly harsher tone. “Especially since you married Astoria and managed to have Scorpius. She, in many ways, has been the perfect match for you.”

 

Draco closed his eyes at the pleading tone that had entered his Mother’s voice. “And I love her for it Mother, I truly do. But that love is solely platonic; on her side as much as mine. With Harry…” He reopened his eyes, but turned his head, nibbling on his bottom lip as he tried to decide how to phrase what was running through him. “Harry challenges me. He instinctively knows how far to push me. He knows what to say or do to bring the better side of me out, but he also knows when I need him to just be there; to just be _him_. I…” He shook his head as he turned back to see his Father sneering and his Mother’s eyes glazed with what appeared to be sympathy. “He makes me a better man and I love him for it.”

 

“‘Love’?”

 

“Lucius–”

 

“You _love_ him?”

 

“Lucius–”

 

“No, it’s alright, Mother,” Draco interrupted. “I knew this would be difficult for you both to accept. I found it difficult enough to accept myself, so I’m not expecting this to go smoothly.”

 

“And why should it?” Lucius’ tone was clipped, but he didn’t sound seething mad, which Draco counted as a point in his favour. “You had the perfect setup as it was. You had a wife who the public assumed loved you as much as you loved her, you had a booming business and your private life was out of the papers. Why would you give that life up?”

 

“Because now I have a man who _actually_ loves me as much as I love him. My business hasn’t been affected one bit and if a little more notoriety is the price to pay for being happy, then I will gladly pay it.”

 

Silence followed this declaration. Lucius appeared to be considering what Draco had said, but Narcissa had kept her eyes trained solely on Draco himself. As always, it was difficult to tell just what either of his parents was thinking, but the one thing that was obvious was that Narcissa would be the easier one to try to convince to accept that this was what he wanted.

 

“You have thought this through properly?”

 

“Narcissa, you cannot be thinking of–”

 

“Do be quiet Lucius; I’m speaking to Draco.”

 

Draco smiled as his Father huffed out a frustrated sound. “I have.”

 

“What will happen to Astoria and Scorpius?”

 

“Astoria and I will divorce. She has already willingly signed the papers and they are waiting at the lawyer’s office for me to sign. She can continue to live in the Manor, as her presence won’t affect my and Harry’s relationship at all. Scorpius won’t be affected in any way; he is my son and I will never try to replace him.” He paused and could have sworn that he caught a glimpse of what looked to be approval in his Mother’s eyes. “I have already discussed all of this with both Astoria and Harry and they are both as happy with the arrangements that we have come up with as I am. Harry will live at Grimmauld Place with his children and I have been splitting my time between the Manor and Grimmauld. It’s an arrangement that suits all of us.”

 

Another silence followed this, but it was one that held at least a little less tension than the last had. He had never expected either of his parents to accept that he wanted to be with Harry, not with everything that had happened during the War. What he was expecting was for them to accept that he knew what and who he wanted. He had never made a life-changing decision like this without a lot of forethought unless it was a decision that he had no choice in and they both knew that. He refocussed when he heard his Mother sigh.

 

“You know I cannot approve of him as a partner, Draco,” she stated plainly. “Not just because of the obvious reasons, but because it is so difficult for me to imagine that the two of you could get along well enough to do anything other than fight. Are you absolutely certain that this is what you want out of life? That he can make you happy? Because I don’t want to see you go through all of this only to wind up regretting having made this kind of commitment to a man you cannot respect, or who does not respect you. You deserve to be happy and that is all we have wanted for you since you were a child. I need to know that you are completely confident about this decision, about him, because it is never too late to back out.”

 

Draco's eyes shifted over to where his Father sat glowering at the both of them. This relationship had always had the potential to be a contentious point between him and his parents, but it seemed that Lucius was taking it much worse than Narcissa was.

 

“I am certain, Mother. About Harry as well as about our relationship. This is what I want; _he_ is who I want. I understand your reluctance to believe that we could get along as well as we do, but I am asking you to believe that I know what I am doing here. I truly do love him and this relationship _is_ going to last.”

 

Lucius huffed out a breath and looked very much to Draco as though he was sulking, but Narcissa took a deep breath and let it out slowly. It was obvious to Draco that there were things that she wanted to say to him, but that she was holding back. Whether it was because she wanted to say them to him in private, or whether they were things that would cause an argument and she simply didn’t want that at that moment, he had no idea. He found himself quite thankful that there had been no screaming match and no threats of disinheritance, although he knew he would have to deal with his Father’s disapproval at some later date. It was at that point that Scorpius ad Astoria arrived back, so he knew the conversation was over.

 

“Perhaps we could finish this discussion later,” Narcissa suggested as Scorpius moved over to sit beside her and offer her some of his Bertie Botts. “I’m sure there has to be some common ground we can find eventually.”

 

Draco nodded. He knew it was highly unlikely that his parents would ever get along with Harry, but all he was really asking at that moment was for them to treat each other with respect. If everyone could be courteous for once, then Draco would be happy.

 

*~*

 

“Come on, kids, in the elevator.”

 

Harry watched as his children followed his instructions with varying levels of enthusiasm. He had been woken that morning – Sunday of all days – just before 7am by a high-pitched shriek. He had rushed through the house and managed to prevent Lily from murdering both of her brothers, but he was sure it had been a close call. He was still uncertain of exactly what they had been fighting about, but they had calmed down and that was what he figured was the most important thing.

 

Lily skipped ahead of the rest of them when the elevator let them out on the Spell Damage ward. She had insisted that she had to look pretty that morning, although why was beyond Harry. The long, dark green dress she wore was covered in lace and frills and was way too cold for her to be wearing in this kind of cold October weather. While they were in the elevator, she had managed to wriggle out of the thick coat Harry had almost had to force on her that morning, but Harry hadn’t the heart to make her put it back on. If she wanted to look pretty, then who was he to stop her? He was just thankful that neither of the boys were that fussy; the both of them were quite happy in Muggle jeans and jackets. Lily paused just outside Draco’s door and turned to wait for them to catch up with her. Harry took a deep breath, hoping that this would go as smoothly as he wanted it to.

 

“Alright boys,” he began, knowing he should say something to them, just in case. “I’m not asking you for a miracle in there today, because I know that this is going to be a huge adjustment. All I’m asking is that you be civil. Answer when you’re spoken to, be polite and that’s it. Can you do that for me?”

 

Harry had to resist the urge to hold his breath. He knew he could rely on Al to be polite; he always was. It was James he was worried about. He had sat him down the night before and had tried to work out why James was so resistant to the idea of Harry moving on. Technically, he understood. Ginny was James’ mother and the way in which the divorce had come about had been traumatic for everyone involved. James hadn’t been around to witness the tension between the two of them after he had gone off to school, so it must have come as a complete shock when Ginny had arrived at the school to tell him and Al about the divorce. Harry understood all of this. What was stumping him was why James seemed to only be rebelling against _him_. By all accounts, he had been on perfect behaviour for Molly and Arthur while Harry was at the hospital with Draco, so what was it about Harry that set him off? He mentally shook himself out of his thoughts when James irritably nodded in response to his question. There would be time to figure his son out later on.

 

“Thank you.”

 

He was just reaching for the doorhandle when the door opened, leaving him swiping his hand through the air in front of a startled-looking Lucius Malfoy. Harry’s stomach dropped down into his toes as a feeling of slight alarm spread through him. This was not something he had planned on having to deal with so soon. Or perhaps ever. Reintroducing himself to Draco’s parents had been so far down on Harry’s priority list that it had completely slipped his mind. He blinked and gaped for a few seconds before his brain kicked back into gear.

 

“Mr. Malfoy,” he almost stuttered out before automatically offering his hand. “How – er – nice to see you.”

 

“Indeed.” Lucius raised an eyebrow at him before stepping out of the room to allow Narcissa space to exit as well. “Draco informs us that we will be seeing a lot of each other in the future.”

 

Harry couldn’t prevent the huge grin that spread across his face, despite the shock and sudden tension running through him. He was about to respond when Lily stepped in front of him. His nerves fluttered again – much more insistently this time – as a series of images flashed through his mind, most of them involving Lily humiliating him in front of Lucius and Narcissa and him never being able to look either of them in the eye again.

 

“Lily,” he began, reaching for her, but she wriggled out of the way.

 

“Are you Draco’s parents?” She curtsied – not quite as elaborately as the one she had first offered Draco – then held her hand out to Lucius. “Lily Potter. Nice to meet you, Sir.”

 

When Lucius hesitated, Harry crossed his arms across his chest and stared him down. He may have been worried that Lily was going to embarrass him, but there was no way he was going to allow Lucius to snub her. The resulting handshake looked slightly limp and was accompanied by a slight sneer, but Harry figured any reaction that wasn’t completely rude was a good thing.

 

“Draco takes very good care of your peacocks,” Lily continued after also shaking hands with Narcissa. “Tori even hand feeds them.”

 

Having to resist the urge to laugh, Harry rubbed a hand across his face. A slight sense of relief that Lily hadn’t been ignored was slowly replacing the nerves in his stomach. Maybe this accidental meeting wouldn’t go as poorly as he was fearing? When he glanced back up, Lucius was nodding stiffly, looking very much like he wanted to simply walk away. He met Harry’s eyes and the sneer he offered up caused a strangely defiant sensation to rise in Harry’s chest. He had no idea what it was about the man – he literally hadn’t said a word to him since the trials – but Lucius apparently had the ability to bring the insolent, childish side of Harry out. Stepping aside, he placed a hand in the middle of Al’s back and gave him a slight push forwards.

 

“Albus, James, these are Draco's parents, Lucius and Narcissa.”

 

He knew he would probably pay for forcing Lucius and Narcissa to socialise with him and his children at a later date. He knew that Lucius and Narcissa probably disapproved of Draco's choice of him. However, he also knew – thanks to Lucius himself – that Draco was going to continue choosing him. It was that knowledge that gave him the confidence to push things just that little bit further. In this case, that translated into not pulling Lily up for being sightly rude and making sure both his boys were acknowledged. He couldn’t help the smile he gave when Narcissa met his eyes after shaking hands with the boys.

 

“It has been good to see you again, Mr. Potter, but I am afraid we really must be getting along.” Her tone was as stiff and formal as ever, but Harry could have sworn that he could hear none of the old condescension there. “Good afternoon.”

 

Harry nodded to them before following Lily into Draco's room. He turned to make sure the boys were following him and when he turned back it was to see Lily climbing up onto Draco's bed.

 

“Hullo Draco,” she murmured as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “I hope you’re feeling better.”

 

“ _Lily_ ,” Harry exclaimed. “You can’t just–”

 

He was about to reach over and grab her, but Draco held a hand up to stop him. Using the hand he had already raised, Harry scrubbed against his eyes. He had no idea what it was about the Malfoy men that made Lily think it was alright for her to treat them so familiarly, but he knew one day it would most likely cause him some kind of grief. Harry watched as Draco's arms slid around Lily’s back and she settled down onto the bed with him.

 

“I’ll be just fine, thanks to your Dad.”

 

Draco kept his eyes locked on Harry as he spoke and the affection he got a quick glimpse of was enough to send warmth flooding through Harry’s chest. He ducked his head as another unwilling smile crossed his face. After a quick glance over to the stiff chairs along the wall near the door to see that Astoria was watching the interaction with a smirk, Harry gathered himself. There was no point in turning his sons off this relationship by acting as smitten as he knew he was. Clearing his throat, he reached behind him to place a hand on Al’s back again.

 

“James, Albus, this is Draco.”

 

Al stepped forward willingly, but James hesitated just a little, causing Harry’s nerves to jump again. The look he received from Draco told him that he had noticed that there was something wrong but, thankfully, he didn’t say anything just yet. Draco smiled as he shook hands with James when he finally stepped forward and Harry could almost see the cogs turning in Draco’s mind.

 

“This is Astoria,” Draco said, waving a hand towards where she stood watching them. “And I’m sure you boys have already met Scorpius at Hogwarts?”

 

Harry couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face when all three boys murmured greetings uncomfortably. He knew how awkward it was running into people he barely knew and this kind of situation must have been difficult for all three of them.

 

“Yeah, but we’re in different Houses, so…” Al trailed off, rubbing a hand across the back of his neck in a gesture Harry was certain he had picked up from him. “We haven’t really properly met.”

 

“Let’s remedy that then, shall we?” Harry turned to raise an eyebrow at Astoria in question, but only received a grin in response. “You can all come downstairs with me. We can have some lunch and get to know each other properly.”

 

Harry stared at her for a few seconds before what she was trying to do sunk in. Not only was she offering to allow the kids to have some time to socialise with each other, but she was also giving him and Draco some time alone. He shot her a grateful look just as Lily slid off the bed and grabbed her hand, dragging her slowly towards the door.

 

“Can we get ice cream for dessert?”

 

Harry stepped aside as the three boys followed behind Lily and Astoria. James brought up the rear and Harry offered him a small smile as they came level with each other. The look he received in response couldn’t have been called nice, but James hadn’t openly displayed any hostility yet, so Harry merely watched as he exited the room. He waited a few seconds after the door had shut behind James before moving over towards the bed.

 

“I could have sworn that I wasn’t this difficult when I was a teenager.”

 

The quiet laugh he received in response sent a warm shiver through his stomach. Draco grabbed the front of Harry’s shirt when he got close enough and dragged him down into a kiss that spread the warmth further through him.

 

“You were too busy almost dying each year to rebel against any parental figures you had.”

 

Harry grinned and leant forward to press their lips together again. “It wasn’t _every_ year.” He pressed the palm of his hand gently against Draco's left cheekbone, testing to see whether he needed another dose of the potion yet. “How long has it been?”

 

Draco's eyes closed briefly and he leant forward into the touch, a small smile on his face. “A few hours. I’m fine for the moment. _You_ , however, are overstressed. What happened yesterday?”

 

Harry smiled again as Draco shifted on the bed and pulled him down onto it with him. “George is pissed off still, but Molly seems to be slowly coming around. James is also unhappy with the both of us and Al is apparently still deciding whether to be angry with me or not. What about your parents?”

 

Draco sighed. “They’ll come around.”

 

“So we’ve succeeded in pissing off basically everyone except Percy Weasley, Lily and Astoria.”

 

Draco chuckled. “We’ll manage. It’ll all work out eventually.”

 

Harry knew that this small bout of optimism was most likely the potion talking, but he would take it where he could get it. And who knew? Maybe Draco was right, maybe eventually everything would be alright and Harry would spend this Christmas splitting his time between the Burrow and the Malfoy’s home in France. The smile that thought brought to his face had Draco looking at him like he had lost his mind, which only caused Harry to smile wider.

 

“Yeah, maybe it will.”


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I should apologise to anyone I told that this was going to end soon. I don't think I would forgive myself if I just left things hanging :)

“I want to go to Hogwarts with you!”

 

Harry sighed as Lily stamped her foot and glared at him. It was Monday morning, which meant that James and Albus had to go back to school. This had been an ongoing argument with them since James had started at Hogwarts the previous year. Every time he had to go back to school, Lily would demand that she be allowed to go with him, or simply be allowed to travel to Hogsmeade on the train.

 

“Lily, we’ve been through this. You’ll go to Hogwarts next year with both of the boys. At the moment, you have to go to your own school.”

 

“But _you’re_ going to Hogwarts with them on the bus, why can’t I go on the bus with you?” She opened her eyes wide and leant forward, obviously hoping to persuade him. “I’ll be really good, I promise!”

 

He had decided that the Knight Bus was the easiest way for the boys to get back to school, but in order for him to be able to take them on the bus, he had to drop Lily off at the Burrow. She had her own school to go back to and either Molly or Arthur could drop her there so Harry could pick her up that afternoon. At the moment, that plan had stalled in the living room of Grimmauld, where they were currently facing off against each other. It would have been the perfect arrangement, if only Lily had decided to cooperate with him.

 

“I’m sorry, Lil–”

 

“No, no you’re not! This isn’t fair! I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to go to school. I want to stay with you!”

 

Harry almost flinched when the words ‘abandonment issues’ flashed through his mind. He knew that it was entirely possible that Lily was worried that he was going to leave her at the Burrow like Ginny had and it was that knowledge that was preventing him from simply sending her through the floo. He knelt down in front of her and held his hands out.

 

“Come here.” He smiled when she practically threw herself into his arms. “I really am sorry, baby girl. I know you want to come with me, but your own schooling is the most important thing for you to be focussing on right now. You want to be able to grow up and put all of that brewing knowledge of yours into practice, right? You could become a world famous potioneer, but you have to keep up with your studies.”

 

“Can we go see Draco's peacocks again?”

 

Harry chuckled. “If you really want to. I’ll ask him when I see him later on.”

 

“You’ll come pick me up this afternoon so we can go straight there?”

 

“I’ll be waiting at the school gates.”

 

He shook his head as Lily squirmed to be released from the embrace. He had no idea whether he had just bribed her into going to school or whether she had manipulated him into taking her to the Manor again, but at that moment, it didn’t really matter. What did matter was that she had stopped throwing a tantrum and appeared to be willing to go along with his plan for the day. She gave him a bright smile before stepping through the floo to the Burrow.

 

“Are we ready to go yet?”

 

Shoving himself to his feet, Harry focussed on Albus standing in the doorway. “Are you sure you have everything?”

 

Al glanced down at the small overnight bag at his feet. “Pretty sure there isn’t that much to forget this time, Dad.”

 

Harry smiled, but before he could respond, James came thumping down the staircase, dragging his own bag behind him. “How about you, Jamie? Everything set?”

 

“Yep.”

 

Harry had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. “Alright, let’s get going then.”

 

It had been a long time since he had travelled anywhere on the Knight Bus. There’d been no real reason for him to have to flag it down, mainly because he could get everywhere he needed to through the floo network or by simply Apparating. He waited until both boys were standing on the curb before he locked the house behind him and moved to stand beside them.

 

“Watch yourselves now, who knows what the driver’s going to be like.”

 

He stuck his wand hand out and held his breath, hoping that maybe the service had been improved to the point that they had managed to get a real driver. A loud bang caused both boys to jump and step back from the curb.

 

“‘ello there!”

 

Harry grinned at the man now hanging out of the door of the giant purple bus that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere a few steps in front of him. It was no one he recognised, but figured there was no reason to put the conductor off-side.

 

“Good morning, how are you?”

 

Before the conductor could respond, he was interrupted by a loud voice. “Is ‘at you ‘arry? Or should I say _Neville_?”

 

Harry’s grin turned to a proper smile when he recognised the voice. It had been a long time since the trials, but he clearly remembered standing in front of the Wizengamot and convincing them that Stan Shunpike had been under the influence of the Imperius curse.

 

“Stan?”

 

Stan’s long, lanky form appeared in the doorway behind the conductor, a wide smile stretched across his face. “In the flesh! Old Ernie retired a few years back an’ guess who got a promotion?”

 

“Congratulations! I’m just taking the boys here back to Hogwarts.”

 

“On ya get then! Louis ere’ll get ya bags! There’s sumun else upstairs takin’ ‘er son back too.”

 

Harry got tickets for the three of them, ushered the boys onto the bus and followed them upstairs, wondering if the ‘sumun else’ was Astoria. Sure enough, the second he made the top floor, he saw a flash of long blonde hair that indicated that his suspicions had been correct. What surprised him, however, was that both Al and James made their way over to sit near Scorpius. Al slid into the seat next to him, but James took the one behind the two of them, his foot raised to rest on the back of the chair as he glanced sullenly around the bus. Harry watched for a few seconds, wondering exactly what the three of them were up to. When they seemed to be only talking quietly, he moved to sit near Astoria.

 

“Is it a bad thing that _that_ makes me paranoid?” He nodded towards the boys and received a quiet laugh in response.

 

“Not at all. In fact, I wouldn’t put it past them to be plotting something; they did the same thing in the café yesterday.”

 

“While Lily quizzed you on either Draco or the peacocks no doubt?”

 

Astoria laughed again and it lit up her whole face. “Actually, she was asking about Lucius.”

 

Harry was about to respond, but was interrupted by Scorpius moving over to sit beside Astoria. A quick glance over to where his own boys sat told him that there was definitely something going on: they were watching what was happening way too closely for this to be innocent. Sure enough, instead of speaking to his mother, Scorpius turned to Harry with wide eyes and a devious smile.

 

“Are you and my Dad going to get married?”

 

Harry choked. On what he had no idea, but it led to a coughing fit that caused his eyes to water and his face to turn red.

 

“‘Married’,” he managed to gasp after regaining a little bit of control over himself. “It’s only been two months!”

 

“You _do_ love each other, right?”

 

“Yes,” Harry responded immediately, as this was one thing he knew for certain. Out of the corner of his eye he saw James roll his eyes and return to staring out the window, his foot on the back of Al’s chair again. Harry noted that he would have to have a word with James before he went back into the school grounds, then refocussed on Scorpius. “But generally people tend to wait a while before they make a commitment like that.”

 

_At least long enough so that they’re both divorced before getting engaged…_ It didn’t occur to him that it wasn’t the idea of being married to Draco that was horrifying him at that moment, but more the thought of it happening so quickly.

 

“But it could happen eventually?”

 

Harry glanced over to Astoria, hoping to find some form of help there, but only received a smirk in response. Unable to prevent it this time, he rolled his eyes.

 

“It _could_ , yes, but not just yet.”

 

This answer seemed to satisfy Scorpius, as he moved back over to the seat beside Albus and they resumed their whispered conversation. James didn’t seem to want to join in this time and he just stared out the window as the bus continued on its way. Harry watched him as they travelled, wondering exactly how he could manage to break through this moodiness James had developed recently and if he should even try. He knew it must have partially been brought on by what was happening with him and Draco, but part of it could also just be normal teenage hormones, so he wasn’t quite sure just how far to push this. With a last _bang_ and jolt, they arrived at the gates of Hogwarts and Harry pushed his concerns over James to the back of his mind for a little while.

 

“Alright boys, make sure you have everything before you get off,” he said as all three of them trudged down the stairs to the first floor in front of him.

 

Harry stepped aside to allow Astoria off before him, offered Stan a wide grin and hopped down the stairs himself. The bus was gone with another loud _bang_ in a split second. Turning to face the gates, Harry noticed James standing apart from Albus and Scorpius again with a surly look on his face and he sighed. It looked like he was going to have to say something to him now rather than later, just in case he took it into his head that this kind of open hostility was going to be tolerated.

 

“Jamie?”

 

James rolled his eyes. “It’s _James_.”

 

“Fine, James, can I speak to you before you go back in?” James seemed to consider Harry’s words before shooting him a glare and turning to face the gates. “James… James Sirius Potter, you _will_ listen to me whether you want to or not.”

 

“I’ll take Albus back up with Scorpius?”

 

Harry shot Astoria a grateful look before turning back to his son. James was still standing with his back to him, his arms crossed across his chest. Harry took a deep breath and let it out slowly, knowing James didn’t react well to being spoken to in an angry tone.

 

“I know you’re angry with me over what has happened with your Mother,” he began and had to reign in his own angry reaction what James scoffed in response. “But I need you to understand why we can’t stay together.”

 

“You think _that’s_ why I’m angry?” James spun around, his hands clenched by his sides and eyes narrowed. “I know Mum cheated on you and that you cheated on her and all of that. I know that you’re gay. I _know_ why you can’t stay together; I’m not an idiot!”

 

“Then what?” Harry threw his hands into the air, gesturing in a futile attempt to express his confusion. “Why have you been so hostile towards me? Why have you been acting out?”

 

“Lily and Al are too young to know what happens when one of your parents moves on, but I have friends whose parents have divorced and _I_ know! I know that you’re going to start trying to convince us all that Mum isn’t worth spending time with, that you two are going to start competing to get us to pay more attention to you and I know that eventually we’re going to be forgotten. You know Carmel Zabini’s grandmother has had seven different husbands? _Seven!_ Carmel’s Dad’s on his third wife and she has brothers and sisters she doesn’t even know! I’ve seen what happens when parents divorce and I don’t want that to happen to us.”

 

Harry blinked as the nonsensical thought that James was apparently friends with Blaise Zabini’s daughter crossed his mind. A vaguely insulted feeling made itself known in his chest as it occurred to him that he had just been compared to Blaise Zabini’s mother, but he shook the thoughts from his mind and refocussed.

 

“I won’t let that happen to us–”

 

“How do you know that?” James’ hands unclenched from his sides, but his stance was still defensive. “How can you be so sure that you won’t wake up one day and just be sick of us? That you won’t want to move on with Draco and get married and have a little family of your own? Maybe you’ll want kids who don’t remind you of her? Sure, Al and Scorpius get along now, but what happens when they start to argue because they’re used to being treated differently? What happens when Lily does something that pisses Draco off? She looks just like Mum, so maybe you’ll start to distance yourself from her. Why would you want three constant reminders of the person you want nothing to do with anymore?”

 

“Because you are my children – my own blood – and that means more than any other kind of connection I could have with anyone. Why do you think I’m standing out here in the freezing cold trying to work out why you’re so unhappy? You kids are my main priority, just as you always have been. While your Mother and I don’t see eye-to-eye anymore, that won’t affect our relationships with you three. Mrs. Zabini may have gone through seven different wizards over the years and Blaise may very well be on his way to following in that same direction with the witches in his life, but neither your Mother nor I are the same as they are.” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, unsure if any of this was getting through to James this time. “I don’t know how else to say it other than to tell you again that I would never allow you kids to slip away from me and neither would your Mother.”

 

James merely stood and stared at Harry for a long time. Harry had never really liked the idea of punishing any of his kids and he didn’t want to have to start now because of this, but ideas ran through his mind rapidly: he could cut James’ allowance, he could ask the Headmaster to not allow him to go on the next Hogsmeade trip and he could even take away some of his privileges when he came back home next. None of these ideas appealed to him, however, because he simply didn’t see the point in punishing a child when it may be possible to talk them out of whatever they had been doing that was unacceptable. The problem he was facing, though, was that he knew that there could be no easy solution to this. He and Ginny were _not_ going to get back together and it looked highly unlikely that they would ever even get along again at this stage. James was simply going to have to learn that.

 

“So you and Draco stay together and we all just live together as one big family, is that what you’re getting at?”

 

“I–” Harry sighed. “That’s what I want, yes.” Perhaps telling James the bare truth would work…

 

“Look, can I go up to the school now? I’m cold.”

 

Harry watched as James slung his backpack up onto his shoulder and turned to face him. There was less hostility in his voice and stance than there had been, which Harry counted as a good thing, but he knew nothing had really been resolved yet. A small sound had him glancing up to see Astoria making her way slowly back down the drive towards them.

 

“Fine, go.” Harry sighed again, running through ways he could try to prove to James that neither he nor Ginny were going to abandon him and his siblings. “I’ll talk to you soon.”

 

James rolled his eyes at Harry and offered a somewhat polite smile to Astoria when she held the gate open for him to slip through. Harry stood watching him make his way back towards the school before realising that Astoria was waiting for him a few steps away. He turned and smiled at her as she fell into step with him.

 

“Teenagers are the reason I didn’t ever take McGonagall up on the offer to teach full-time, you know.” He grinned when Astoria laughed. “So Lily was asking you about Lucius?”

 

Harry fell silent, listening to Astoria tell him all about what Lily had been asking her the day before. He allowed her voice to lull him into a milder mood, one where he had no worries about any of his children, he wasn’t facing a difficult court case and everything was sorted out neatly.

 

“Everything _will_ work out, Harry.”

 

Harry smiled. “You have to say that.”

 

“No, I don’t. I could be just as hostile towards you as James is because you’re taking my safe, comfortable husband away from me. But I really do think that once everything with the courts is over, everything will settle down nicely.”

 

“James compared me to Arabella Zabini.”

 

Astoria’s surprised laugh startled some birds out of a tree near them. “If you poison Draco, _then_ we’ll have a problem.”

 

Harry joined in with her laughter and felt some of the tension that had been knotting his shoulders start to lift. His mind wandered to the rest of what he had to get done that day before picking Lily up from school, pushing his worries about James to the back of his mind for the time being.

 

*~*

 

“Look at me please… Good, now up towards the ceiling… Very good… Is there any pain when I push here?”

 

Draco shook his head as the Healer gently pressed his thumb to his left cheekbone. They had lowered the dosage of the pain potion that morning and because he had had no bleeding or pain troubles during the day, he was finally being allowed to go back home. The Healers wanted regular updates on his progress, which meant that he was only allowed to leave if they could be guaranteed that he wasn’t going home to an empty house. Draco had no complaints on that count, because it just gave him an excuse to have Harry stay with him in the Manor – or for him to stay at Grimmauld – until he was given a clean bill of health.

 

“Alright, it seems to me like you’re healthy enough to leave the hospital. There are a few rules I need you to follow before I can allow you to leave, though, Mr. Malfoy.” Draco raised an eyebrow as the Healer turned to face Harry, who was slouched against the doorjamb. “You too, please, Mr. Potter.” Figuring he knew what was coming, Draco smirked at Harry, who was wearing a look of complete confusion. “The one hard and fast rule for injuries like this one is for the patient to not engage in any kind of activity that could potentially cause further damage. Rigorous activities that increase your heart rate and blood flow are a good thing. In fact, regular exercise is recommended, but getting into positions that may encourage the blood to rush to your head will only cause more problems to the healing process. You are a brewer, yes? I would ask that you refrain from standing over a cauldron for extended periods of time; from leaning over in that kind of position at all, really.” Draco found he had to lower his eyes to prevent himself from laughing when Harry’s eyes widened in what appeared to be embarrassment. “I will leave you a supply of pain potion. Take it three times a day for the next three days. You can try lowering the dosage again after that.”

 

Draco watched as Harry visibly relaxed. He couldn’t tell whether Harry had understood that the Healer was basically banning them from sex for a few more days or whether he’d been expecting something worse than that, but figured he could worry about that later. The prospect of being able to fall asleep in his own bed that night was a much more pressing order of business. Of course, being able to fall asleep in his own bed with Harry comfortably beside him was even more appealing: with his arms wrapped around Draco's waist, his hard, toned chest pressed to Draco's back and his hard…

 

“So he’ll still be easily distracted on this lower dose of the potion as well?”

 

Draco blinked to clear the thoughts from his mind. Harry was grinning at him, but had obviously addressed the Healer. The realisation that he had been caught fantasising caused a blush to begin to spread on Draco's cheeks and he ducked his head again.

 

“It won’t be as obvious as it has been the past few days, but yes, there will still be some kind of intoxicating effects. Whether that will show in a tendency to become easily distracted, or by sleeping more often, or even feeling a general, all-over numbness to everyday things, I cannot say.”

 

Still fighting against the blush, Draco pushed himself up so he could sit on the edge of the bed. He heard Harry thank the Healer and send him away, but kept his head down, focussing on keeping his attention on the present and out of the gutter. His mind raced, trying to come up with a mundane subject.

 

“So, I had a lovely little chat with Scorpius on the bus back to Hogwarts this morning.”

 

Standing and beginning to strip himself of the hospital pyjamas, Draco smiled at Harry’s sarcasm. “Yes?”

 

“He and Albus want to know when we’re getting married.”

 

Draco's fingers slipped on the button of his trousers, leaving them hanging off his hips. “What?”

 

“He and Al sat talking to each other for a few minutes after we got on the bus, then Scorpius came over and asked straight up if we were getting married.” Harry pushed off the doorjamb and moved to stand directly in front of Draco, his fingers tracing along the waistband of Draco's trousers.

 

A quick calculation told Draco that it had been nearly four full days since they had last had sex as desire flooded through him. His hands automatically slid down to link with Harry’s on his hips and he gave a small half-smile when Harry’s head snapped up.

 

“At least they seem to be getting along.”

 

Amusement flashed in Harry’s eyes as he moved their now-joined hands back along Draco's hips towards his arse. “Yes, because that’s the most important thing.” It seemed that Harry was going to become distracted, but he shook his head regretfully and stepped backwards. “James, on the other hand, isn’t adjusting to this the way I would like him to. He’s worried that because of the divorce, he and Al and Lily will all be treated the same way some of his friends who have divorced parents have been treated. I basically told him he’s being ridiculous, but I have no idea whether it sunk in this time or not. I guess…” He paused to rub a hand along the back of his neck. “I guess I’ll just have to keep trying.”

 

Draco nodded as he continued to get dressed. There really wasn’t all that much he could add to that, because Scorpius had never caused that kind of trouble for him and Astoria. There wasn’t anything he could think of to say to make things better, as he knew that they would just be empty words. Telling Harry that things would work out eventually did sound good for a while, but hearing it every single time something went wrong would get old fast, Draco knew. He was just running through a list of things that he might be able to do when Harry spoke again.

 

“I may have had to promise Lily that she could go see your peacocks today to get her to go to school, by the way.”

 

Draco raised his head as he finished buttoning up his shirt buttons to see whether Harry was joking or not. He raised an eyebrow when it became obvious that he wasn’t.

 

“My peacocks?”

 

Harry winced. “Yeah, sorry.” He stepped forward to run his hands along Draco’s collar. “Do you mind?”

 

Draco circled his arms around Harry’s waist. “Do I mind having you at the Manor rather than having to sleep in that bed alone? No, Potter, I don’t mind.”

 

The smile Harry offered up caused Draco's stomach to flutter and he only just prevented himself from grinning like an idiot back at him. “Let’s get you home, then.”


	34. Chapter 34

Draco placed his paper aside as he heard the tell-tale thumps that indicated that Harry was slowly making his way down the stairs of the Manor the next morning. He quickly made up a cup of chamomile tea and placed it on the coffee table beside the opposite end of the lounge he currently occupied. It was so nice, being able to wake up in his own home and actually get dressed for the day, even if that day involved only resting around the house. He knew he couldn’t brew for the next few days, but he was determined that he wouldn’t just sit idly.

 

“Good morning.” He rolled his eyes at the half-hearted glare Harry shot him in response.

 

“It’s half six in the morning. I fail to see how that could be considered ‘good’.”

 

Taking a slow sip of his tea before placing it back on the coffee table beside him, Draco turned back to the paper he had abandoned. “Feel free to return to bed.”

 

Silence followed this, but he resisted the urge to glance up. In all honesty, he was just happy to have been allowed to come home and Harry’s usual early morning grumpiness wasn’t going to change that at all. A few shuffling footsteps were the only warning he got before his chin was tilted upwards and Harry’s lips landed on his. He let out a surprised gasp, which allowed Harry to slide his tongue between his lips, opening his mouth to deepen the kiss. It took a few seconds, but the shock eventually began to turn to desire and Draco clenched his hand in the front of the soft flannelette shirt Harry wore and pulled him closer. Harry laughed into the kiss, but obeyed Draco's directions, moving to kneel on the lounge beside him. The hand that had tilted Draco's chin slid slowly up so Harry’s fingers could brush against Draco’s left cheekbone, a move that Draco believed was unconscious. The previous night had proven his suspicions that Harry was going to be a hands-on carer – for lack of a better phrase – while he was recovering from the curses he had been hit with. Harry had made absolutely certain that he had had everything that he needed, that almost everything else was within easy reaching distance and had even managed to keep Lily relatively quiet once he picked her up from school. It was just a shame that Draco couldn’t take advantage of everything else he could tell that Harry wanted to offer. He hummed quietly when Harry broke the kiss.

 

“ _Now_ it’s a good morning.”

 

Draco scoffed and turned back to his paper, but kept an eye on Harry as he settled down at the other end of the lounge with his tea. They hadn’t yet spoken about their living arrangements while Draco was under Healer instructions to not be in the house alone and Draco was unsure of how to raise the topic. Normally, he would just come right out and say what was on his mind, but Harry had Lily to consider. If Draco got his way and they spent most, if not all, of their time at the Manor, that would mean Lily would have to have a room of her own there as well. It was unreasonable to expect her to continue to sleep in Scorpius’ room as she had been, but Draco couldn’t just have a room made up for her without running it by Harry first. The other problem his mind had come up with was what if, when he made the offer, Harry turned him down? That would make Harry’s time in the Manor uncomfortable, to say the least, as well as putting an unnecessary strain on their relationship.

 

“You know it’s rude to stare, right?”

 

Draco jumped and grabbed his tea cup off the coffee table as embarrassment rushed through him at having been caught. The stupid potion was still controlling parts of how he reacted to the world around him despite the fact that it was a lower dose and it was annoying him no end. Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly before looking back up to see Harry smirking at him.

 

“Yes?”

 

Draco's eyes automatically returned to his tea cup before he spoke again. “I’ve been thinking about the living arrangements here and–”

 

“Yeah, I was going to ask about that,” Harry interrupted, causing Draco's eyes to snap to him again. “Look, I’ll take Lily back to Grimmauld with me. I know she’s a bit of a handful when you’re not used to her.”

 

“Harry–”

 

“I mean, she doesn’t want to always be dumped with Molly and Arthur, but you’ll have Astoria here for the days I’m with her–”

 

“Harry!”

 

“–so you won’t be disobeying the Healer’s orders. And I know it’s good to have some space from each other–”

 

“For fuck’s sake, Potter, shut up and let me speak!”

 

Harry stuttered to a stop, his eyes wide. Draco had to resist the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose because he had no idea if it would cause problems with his injury. How the hell he had managed to fall for this bloody moron was completely beyond him, but it was done now and he wasn’t going to just let him go, so explaining exactly what he had meant seemed to be his only option here. He huffed out a slightly frustrated sigh before taking a deep breath.

 

“I was going to suggest having a room here in the Manor made up for Lily, if you would only listen to me.” He knew he sounded pissed off, but really, if Harry was that determined to misunderstand him, then how else was he supposed to react? “Of course, you _could_ go back to Grimmauld by yourselves, but I’d prefer to have you here.”

 

Harry’s mouth opened and closed a few times before snapping shut with an audible click. He stared off into space for longer than Draco was comfortable with, but Draco allowed it, not wanting to startle a rash decision out of him. Draco raised an eyebrow when Harry’s eyes refocussed and he turned to face him properly. Still Harry stayed quiet, but it didn’t last long. Draco heard a mumble that sounded very much like ‘fuck it’ before Harry landed in his lap.

 

He was slightly more prepared for it this time and managed to yank his cup out of the way before Harry could drench the both of them in hot tea. Not that it mattered after a few seconds, because Harry was quite capable of wiping his mind of everything else. Sliding his hands up the back of Harry’s shirt, Draco pulled him closer just as their lips connected again. Harry’s skin was so warm and smooth beneath Draco's hands, causing him to curl his fingers and drag his nails along Harry’s spine. It wasn’t anywhere near hard enough to leave any permanent damage, but just the idea of being able to leave his mark on that pale, soft skin was getting Draco's blood pumping faster. He pressed the palms of his hands onto the small of Harry’s back when they reached it, pulling him closer still. It was then that Harry chose to draw back with a sound that was half-gasp, half-groan.

 

“Harry?” Draco's voice was rough and the smile it caused to break on Harry’s face sent Draco's stomach flipping with desire. “What’s wrong?”

 

Harry leant forward so their foreheads touched. “We can’t… Or really shouldn’t, at least.”

 

He paused to take a deep breath and Draco couldn’t help leaning forward to nip at his bottom lip. It turned into another kiss in a matter of seconds, with Harry’s mouth opening for Draco as he pressed forward again. Draco had no idea if his next thought was actually him or just the potion prompting strange things to drift through his mind, but it occurred to him that Harry was so much sexier in the mornings than at any other time. Maybe it was the slightly forbidden overtones that the morning held – as they always ran the risk of being caught by either Lily or Astoria – but there was something about Harry that got Draco going so much faster in the mornings. This time it was another set of stomping feet that caused them to break apart.

 

“Damn it,” Draco whispered as Harry slid quickly off his lap.

 

Harry gave a bit of a breathless laugh as he fell back against the armrest at the opposite end of the lounge again. “Two to three days, not before.”

 

“Damn _you_.”

 

Lily burst through the doors before Harry could do much more than laugh in response. She ran up, landed on the lounge between them and looked between the two of them with a bright smile.

 

“Morning! Can I go play with the animals?”

 

Harry’s eyes met with Draco's over Lily’s head and Draco could see a sparkle in them that had been absent for the past few days. It was a look Draco had come to associate with a happiness that Harry didn’t even have to voice and it sent warmth shooting through his stomach.

 

“Sure thing, baby girl. We’ll be out in a few minutes.”

 

“Alright!” Lily grinned wide at Draco before darting out of the room with all of the early morning energy that only a ten year old could possess. “Don’t take too long.”

 

Draco watched Harry as Lily rushed out of the room. It truly was unfair that he could have him right there and be unable to touch him… No, that was wrong: he could touch him all he wanted, he just wasn’t allowed to follow that touching up with anything even remotely interesting.

 

“You know, Malfoy, if you keep looking at me like that, I might just burst through sheer frustration.”

 

Draco rolled his eyes and followed Harry in pushing himself up off the lounge. “ _I’m_ the frustrating one? I was more than willing to risk further injury just a few minutes ago.”

 

“But you’re not now?” Harry shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans and rocked up onto the balls of his feet, smirking at Draco the whole time. “Not at all?”

 

Narrowing his eyes, Draco managed to resist the urge to jinx him, but it was a close thing. “You are entirely too cocky for your own good.”

 

He made to move past and through to the lobby of the Manor, but was prevented by Harry stepping in front of him. Draco was about to roll his eyes again at the blatant attempt to rile him, but he got a look at Harry’s eyes before he could react. All the playfulness was gone, to be replaced with a look so serious that Draco's insides shivered a little with worry.

 

“Harry?”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Draco frowned. “For what?”

 

A small frown creased Harry’s forehead, causing him to look confused. “I don’t…” He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “For Lily, for not running when you really should have so many times, for putting up with me and all the _shit_ I come with… Thank you.”

 

Without waiting for a reply, Harry turned and made to make his way out of the room, but Draco flicked his wand out of the holster in his sleeve and waved it at the door, closing and locking it in one move. What he wanted was complete privacy, but the locked parlour would have to do at that moment. He smiled when Harry turned back to face him, the look of confusion back on his face.

 

“I love you.”

 

Harry’s eyes widened and his mouth opened and closed a few times, but nothing came out. It was a good feeling, knowing that he could reduce someone usually so mouthy to silence with a simple sentence, but Draco focussed more on saying what he knew Harry had to hear than what he was feeling right at that moment.

 

“There’s no need to thank me for treating you the way anyone who loves you is supposed to have treated you.”

 

He would have continued, but Harry drew him into a tight embrace before he could. Harry’s hands moved up Draco's back, one to tangle in his hair and the other to brace between his shoulder blades. Following his instincts, Draco wrapped Harry in his arms properly, his own hands sliding downwards. Unable to resist, he took advantage of Harry’s position and slipped a hand into the pocket of his jeans, squeezing his firm arse. There was no kiss this time, just the hug, which struck Draco as both odd and completely right at the same time. There was something so very personal just standing there with Harry in his arms; it felt incredibly intimate, despite not really being so. He came to the conclusion that anything else would have ruined the mood when he felt Harry’s muscles relaxing beneath his fingers.

 

“Have I told you recently how perfect I find you?”

 

Draco couldn’t help the laugh that escaped him at that. Trust Harry to be able to say something so cheesy and have it come out sounding completely sincere.

 

“It never hurts to hear it again.”

 

“Dad, _come on_!”

 

It seemed to Draco that Harry only pulled away from him reluctantly and he let his fingers trail along the bit of skin above Harry’s waistband, extending the contact for a few seconds. The smile Harry shot him sent his stomach fluttering again, but neither of them said anything. The sound of footsteps outside the door was followed by a frustrated sigh and Draco smiled back.

 

“Come on, before she finds a way to blast the doors open.”

 

The laughter in Harry’s voice only added to the butterflies in Draco's stomach as they made their way out of the room. The next few days were going to be incredibly frustrating.

 

*~*

 

Harry crossed his left leg over his right in an attempt to stop himself from jiggling it up and down out of nerves. He had come straight to the Ministry after dropping Lily off at school that morning, mostly because he had to finish filling out the necessary forms that would complete his retirement, but had been called up to Kingsley’s office partway through. He didn’t ever remember being this nervous about seeing Kingsley before and he was fairly certain that that was only adding to his nerves even more.

 

“Are you alright, Harry?”

 

Harry jumped at the sound of Geoffrey Smythe’s voice. He had been Kingsley’s secretary for the past five years and Harry got along well with him.

 

“I feel like I’ve been called to the Headmaster’s office,” he responded with a small smile. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this nervous about a meeting with any Minister before.”

 

Geoffrey grinned, but before he could respond, the door opened and Kingsley stood smiling at the two of them. “Harry, come on in.”

 

He shot Geoffrey one last look asking for sympathy and received another grin in response. Kingsley’s office was always warm and bright, no matter the time of year. He had once told Harry it was because there were so many horrible things happening in the world that he had to deal with that he wanted a place to come back to that was the exact opposite of that. The wooden furniture certainly added to that aesthetic, but today Harry was too worried to focus on the calming sense it usually gave him.

 

“Have you spoken to the Auror in charge of Ginny’s case?” Harry figured getting it out of the way early was probably the best way to go. “I mean, that’s why you called me in here, right? Is there any news?”

 

“Slow down, Harry!” Kingsley held a hand up, a wide smile on his face. “Take a seat and I’ll fill you in on everything I know so far.”

 

Obeying silently, Harry took the offered chair. He shook his head when Kingsley offered tea and received a strange look in response.

 

“Honestly, Kingsley, all I want is to know what’s going on. I hate not being in the loop for this one.”

 

“You know we’d put you as far away from this case as it’s possible for you to get if you were still working, right?”

 

Harry sighed. “Yes, I know, but…” He shook his head. “I’m sorry Kingsley, but I need to know that Draco's going to be safe from her.”

 

“It wasn’t him she was aiming at hurting that night, you know.” Kingsley placed a cup of tea down in front of Harry anyway before moving to take his own seat. “She couldn’t get to you and he was a convenient target.”

 

Guilt caused Harry to bow his head. He already knew that he was the reason Draco had been injured; he didn’t need Kingsley to point it out.

 

“Yes, well, he refuses to stay away from me, so keeping him safe from her is all I can do.”

 

“Are you really sure he needs protecting?” Kingsley began to laugh when Harry shot him a glare. “Alright, I’m sorry. Yes, I have spoken to the Auror in charge of Ginny’s case. He seems to think that it’s a fairly open and shut case, mostly because we were right there to catch her in the act. She was caught with the potion in her hand, she resisted arrest and she injured Malfoy right in front of you and four other Aurors. That, unfortunately, is all I can tell you.”

 

Harry blinked at Kingsley a few times before what he was being told sunk in. “Come on, Kingsley, you can’t leave me hanging like that.”

 

“As of last Friday night, you are a civilian. Even if you hadn’t retired, you would still be kept out of the case. Hell, we may have even had to have suspended you until the investigation was completely over. You know the protocol of the investigations better than I do, so you know exactly how much I am allowed to tell someone who has a vested interest in the case, but who isn’t directly involved.”

 

Scowling, Harry ran through his options in his mind. He had known going into this that Kingsley would most likely not be able to give him much information, but he had been hoping for a little more than this.

 

“How about giving me some information on the case itself? Not the evidence you’re gathering, but the actual presentation of it in court? Maybe a possible court date? I know with something this high profile, you’d have to have spoken to the court by now.”

 

“Well, you’re right about how high profile it is, at least. I think a lot of the Wizengamot members who have agreed to sit in are doing so more out of morbid curiosity than anything else.” Kingsley sat back in his chair, stretching his hands above his head before turning his attention back to Harry. “Your lawyers will be getting a lot of the information that I can’t divulge at the moment, including everything Ginny is being charged with. They’ll pass it on to you when they can. I assume that you’re sticking with the ones Malfoy put you in touch with?”

 

Harry nodded. “They seem to have a lot more experience with this level of case than my usual lawyers.”

 

“Good, an experienced set of lawyers is much better when you’re dealing with the kinds of things you will be over the next little while. I haven’t actually managed to completely secure a court date yet, but your lawyers will be in touch with you before I find out when the Wizengamot will hear the case, so your best bet is to stay in close contact with them.”

 

Nodding again, Harry took a sightly shaky breath. His nerves seemed to be lessening now that he had even the little amount of information Kingsley had been able to give him. Warming his fingers around the tea cup in front of him, his mind raced. He would have to get in touch with the lawyers when he got home that day, as well as informing both Draco and the Weasleys of what he found out about the case. His racing mind seemed to freeze when it occurred to him that he had just thought of Malfoy Manor as ‘home’. An intense feeling of joy threatened to overwhelm him, but he suppressed it as well as he could before Kingsley asked what was wrong.

 

“Harry?”

 

Shaking his head to kick it into gear again, Harry still couldn’t help grinning down at his tea cup. “Sorry, I er…” Taking a breath to get control back over himself, Harry raised his head and offered Kingsley a smile. “I’ll get in contact with them as soon as I get back. Is it alright if I keep the Weasleys informed, or are you going to do that yourself?”

 

“Are they speaking to you again then?”

 

A frown crossed Harry’s face through the happiness and he forced his attention back to the conversation. “Sort of. I had a good conversation with Molly at the hospital and we tried to work through some of the issues we’ve been having on Saturday night. It seems that Molly and Arthur are willing to listen to me and so are some of the others, but George and Ron at least are going to be slightly tougher.”

 

Kingsley nodded as he sat back in his chair again, looking more relaxed than Harry knew he would be able to at that moment. “That is understandable to a certain extent; the younger Weasleys always got along well. Although I will admit that Ron is a bit of a surprise. How about Hermione?”

 

“She never stopped speaking to me.” Harry smiled. “We haven’t spoken as often as we usually do, but she’s been there when I needed her and that’s really what counts.”

 

The conversation petered off into slightly more mundane subjects after that, allowing Harry’s mind to wander off towards Draco again. He knew for a fact that their relationship wasn’t travelling along at a normal pace by anyone’s standards; the suggestion Draco had made that morning had confirmed that for him. They had been practically living together for a while now and it seemed that Draco may be thinking of making that a more formal arrangement. It sent a warm feeling through his stomach and caused a smile to stay permanently on his face as he spoke with Kingsley. He knew that Kingsley had noticed something but, thankfully, he didn’t mention it. This was a happiness that Harry wanted to keep to himself for a little while longer.


	35. Chapter 35

The clanging of the floo alarm brought Draco out of a daydream quite effectively early on Wednesday morning. He knew it couldn’t be Harry arriving back at the Manor, as he had only left to take Lily to school half an hour before. He still had to go to the lawyer’s office before he was due back and Draco knew that it would take a while. The alarm died down after a few seconds and was followed immediately by the sound of heels clacking on the marble floor of the lobby. Draco was up and out of his chair in a matter of seconds, as he knew Astoria didn’t wear heels like that this early in the morning and that meant that whoever had stepped through his floo was now walking through his house. He grabbed his wand off the coffee table beside him just as the owner of the heels turned the corner into the parlour where he was standing, thankful that he had thought to keep it close, just in case.

 

“Pansy?” Draco's stance relaxed as relief rushed through him.

 

“Are you going to hex me, Draco?”

 

Having to resist the impulse to roll his eyes, Draco placed his wand back on the table before moving to greet her. Pansy had spent most of the past nineteen years travelling Europe with various ‘partners’ by her side. Draco had never been so gauche as to ask about any of them and Pansy had never seen fit to tell him more than what they had purchased for her and how they compared to her past partners. She smiled and leant in to air kiss him on both cheeks as soon as he was close enough. Glancing over Pansy’s shoulder, Draco smiled at Astoria, who had followed quickly behind her. She smiled back and left them alone again.

 

“I’ll try to resist the temptation, but I can’t guarantee a single thing.”

 

“Good. Never deal in absolutes, darling, I thought you knew that.”

 

Draco smiled again as Pansy moved past him into the parlour. It had been a while since they had seen each other in person, but it seemed as though Pansy hadn’t changed all that much: her spike heels clicked as she walked, the colour matching perfectly with the deep blue shirt she wore beneath her black pantsuit; her hair was piled on top of her head in a complicated-looking twist and she held herself with all of the dignity that she had adopted out of necessity after the War. Walking slowly around the room, Pansy ran her fingers over the back of the lounge that sat adjacent to the chair Draco had been sitting on.

 

“Your pupils are dilated.”

 

Draco's smile widened. It was obvious to him that she wanted to discuss what had happened to him recently, but if she wanted to skirt around the issue then he would play along. He nodded, despite the fact that her back was to him.

 

“Yes, it’s the pain potion the Healers have me on. I’m to try lowering the dosage tomorrow.” Watching her carefully, Draco could make out the tension in her shoulders and it caused him to wonder if she was worried about him. “They have me not brewing until then as well, just in case the angle causes more problems.”

 

Nodding, Pansy moved on to stand in front of the large bookcase Draco had had made specifically for this room a few months before. He knew it wasn’t usual to have a bookcase in his parlour, but he had gotten sick of having to get up and go upstairs to the library to find a new book to read. It wasn’t like his parents could really object anymore, either: they had willingly given the Manor to him when he and Astoria had married. Pansy ran her fingers along the spines of the books for a few seconds before turning back to him.

 

“You seem… Comfortable.”

 

He had no idea if her choice of words was meant to cause him some unease over his relationship with Harry or whether his recent tendency to associate everything with Harry was clouding his judgement. Either way, he knew that due to the potion, he most likely wouldn’t be as fast off the mark as he usually was. The question now was whether he should bother speaking around the issue with Pansy or should he just cut to the heart of the matter.

 

“I am,” he responded, deciding to wait to see where she would take the convesation. “There’s no reason why I shouldn’t be.”

 

Pansy nodded again and pushed off away from the bookcase. Moving around the edge of the room, she ran her fingers over everything she passed. It wasn’t until she reached the liquor cabinet that she paused again. She turned back to him with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.

 

“Taking up a new hobby?”

 

Draco frowned as she held something up and waved it. It was a book with a pink pattern on the front; obviously one of the Muggle colouring books that Lily favoured sometimes. Taking a breath and letting it out slowly, Draco shot her a _look_ before moving off to take a seat back in the chair he had vacated.

 

“You are hilarious.”

 

“Oh, don’t be so stuffy, darling. You wouldn’t be you if you didn’t have an inappropriate obsession or two.” She placed the book back on the liquor cabinet and moved to sit down on the lounge, smirk still firmly in place.

 

“Please,” Draco scoffed, unable to resist. “I only have one obsession at the moment and he’s hardly inappropriate any longer.”

 

The smirk Pansy wore turned quickly to a wide smile and she leant back into the lounge, making herself comfortable. “I would assume that his relative inappropriateness depends on the occasion.”

 

The leer she gave him caused him to shake his head. She was fishing for details as she usually did, but this time Draco found himself reluctant to give them. The urge to keep Harry to himself was still quite strong, despite the fact that he knew that basically the entire wizarding world knew about them. It was a strange sensation, wanting to keep something this important from Pansy, but he knew he had to admit to her that this was more than just a fling.

 

“It’s different this time. _He’s_ different.”

 

“Of course it’s different: you’ve never managed to break up a marriage before.”

 

Draco watched a small frown form between Pansy’s eyes as he shook his head. “No, I mean…” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, unsure why he was having such a difficult time admitting that he had fallen for Harry. “Everything about this relationship is different–”

 

“Like the fact that _you_ just used the word ‘relationship’?”

 

Draco ducked his head, staring down at his hands clenched in his lap. “I love him, Pans.”

 

He looked back up when Pansy snorted with laughter. It took a few seconds for her to realise that he hadn’t joined in with her and he raised an eyebrow at her when she glanced at him, shock slowly taking over her face.

 

“You…”

 

“Yes.”

 

“With _him_?”

 

“Yes.”

 

All the laughter left her face in a split second and she sat forward, pinning him a look so serious that Draco was sorely tempted to laugh himself. “Are you absolutely certain about this, Draco?”

 

He smiled. “You don’t believe me?”

 

She was silent again for a little while. It was obvious that she was considering her options to respond and Draco found himself desperately hoping that she would believe him. This whole thing would go so much smoother if Pansy was there with him to help ease the rest of his friends into this new direction his life had taken. Not that their opinions would sway his in any way, but it would be nice to know that he had some support from people other than Astoria. He couldn’t help holding his breath as Pansy’s eyes refocussed on him.

 

“I have been keeping up with this through the _Prophet_ , you know,” she began. “And despite the fact that you’ve both come out and had an article published telling the world what was actually going on, I had thought that they had seen the two of you together and just blown it out of proportion. You know that they printed a whole series on my supposed relationship with Jean Moreau when they spotted us together at the Quidditch World Cup the other year, right?”

 

Draco nodded instead of speaking, hoping it would speed Pansy’s little speech up. He recalled vividly the explosion Pansy had had in this very room three years previously when Rita Skeeter had supposed that she had been dating the French Seeker simply because they had been spotted speaking to each other. The truth of the matter was that Jean had actually been Draco's date for the Cup, but they had obviously not been able to be seen together in public, as neither of them had been out in the press at the time. Unfortunately, the article had ruined Pansy’s chances of getting a date with anyone for a while, as Skeeter had run with the idea that Pansy and Jean were close enough to be getting married. It had taken quite a lot of bribes for Draco to suppress those articles. He jumped and silently began to curse the Gods-be-damned potion for allowing him to become distracted once again when she continued speaking.

 

“You still owe me for that one, by the way.” Draco bowed his head solemnly, causing her to smile. “I know you too well to think that you haven’t overanalysed your reasons for committing to something like this, but… Why? Why him? Why now?”

 

Draco took a few seconds to compose his response. He knew that she was watching his reactions and that they would be used against him if he showed anything that gave her the idea that he was unsure of himself in any way.

 

“I’m not sure I can explain completely… You saw how much I wanted him when we were teenagers. I suppose those feelings never truly went away. When I was presented with the opportunity and he seemed willing, I was unable to prevent myself. That first time felt as though it was the satisfaction of so many years of frustration and it started this craving in me that I’ve yet to satisfy.” He took a deep breath as his skin tingled with the memory of what it had been like to first touch Harry. “I’m not sure if I ever will manage to satisfy it either.”

 

He blinked as his eyes refocussed on Pansy. She was watching him with the same level of scrutiny that she had been earlier only there was something different about it this time: the worry had mostly cleared from her eyes. She nodded slowly.

 

“You love him.” She sounded certain and it caused a smile to spread across Draco's face.

 

“I do.”

 

Pansy nodded again, but changed the subject. Being used to the way Pansy dealt with emotions like this, Draco couldn’t be worried about her seemingly sudden change of heart. She would go over and over the idea of him and Harry being together in her mind before pronouncing any kind of judgement on the idea. While he had been worried that she would have a negative reaction, Draco got the feeling that she would come around in the end.

 

*~*

 

“Mr. Potter, how good to see you again.”

 

Harry smiled as he entered the office of Richardson, Hunter and MacGregor, the lawyers Draco had recommended. The secretary returned his smile this time rather than simply staring coldly at him, and it put him much more at ease than he had thought it would have. He had to resist the urge to tug at the collar of his formal robes as he stepped up to the desk. He was much more nervous than he knew he really should be; it wasn’t like the lawyers could turn him down now, as they had already agreed to take his case.

 

“Likewise. Is there someone free to see me about the progress that has been made on my case?”

 

“Of course; follow me.”

 

Harry’s hands clenched in his pockets as he followed along behind her. He had meant to get in here yesterday after speaking to Kingsley, but he had definitely not been dressed for a formal meeting with these lawyers; he knew that Draco would have murdered him if he had wandered in there dressed in his jeans and flannelette shirt, looking like he had just come off a Muggle construction site. The secretary took him on the same winding route to the office that he had taken that first day but Harry found himself grateful this time, as it gave him time to prepare himself. He knew that the lawyers had to have more information on the case and what was going to happen to Ginny than he did and now that the time had come for him to hear it, he was so taken over with nerves that his hands were almost shaking.

 

“Mr. Richardson and Ms. Hunter are waiting for you,” the secretary informed him when they paused at the large oak doors of the meeting room.

 

Harry spared a second to wonder how it was that they had known that he was coming, but pushed the question aside as the doors opened. Mr. Richardson and Ms. Hunter were seated at the long table again, but they both gave him their full attention this time as he entered the room.

 

“Good morning, Mr. Potter, we have been expecting a visit from you for the past few days.”

 

Harry offered up a nervous smile as he focussed on Ms. Hunter. “I would have been in to see you sooner, but I’ve had so many things I’ve had to sort out over the past few days that I just haven’t found the time.”

 

“Yes, how are your children, if you don’t mind me asking?” It was Richardson who spoke this time. “Safe from the press, I assume?”

 

It took a couple of seconds for what Richardson was telling him to sink in, but when it did, Harry smiled properly. “You’ve found a way to keep them away somehow?”

 

“You would be surprised what the proper application of pressure to certain key members of the media will do for you, Mr. Potter.”

 

Harry’s smile widened at this. No wonder Draco liked these lawyers so much.

 

“From what I can tell, there hasn’t been one single attempt to reach the boys at Hogwarts and I know for a fact that Lily has been perfectly safe from them, so thank you for that. It means a lot to me to know that they’ll be protected from what I went through when I was a teenager.”

 

The two of them turned out to be quite pleasant once Harry had managed to get past the initial iciness. He knew from their first meeting that a lot of the intimidation that he had felt was entirely manufactured by them both, just as the slight clumsiness and ineptitude displayed by the third partner, MacGregor, had been. He was thankful that they seemed to have dropped the attempts to intimidate him, as he knew it would grow old fast if he had to continually contend with it.

 

It seemed as though they didn’t intend to have this meeting in the long meeting room and they all adjourned to a room that was connected by a set of doors in the rear wall. This new room was much more inviting than the meeting room, despite obviously still being an ‘official’ room: the wood panelling made Harry feel much more comfortable than the meeting room’s white plaster. Ms. Hunter and Mr. Richardson both took seats behind a large desk and waved Harry into a chair opposite them. He was offered tea and biscuits and they lit the fire before they began to discuss anything. The conversation was kept to trivialities while the tea was being served, but they soon got down to why Harry was there. His nerves jumped as he sensed the change in mood.

 

“So, Mr. Potter, I would assume the reason you are here is to discuss the fate of your wife?” Ms. Hunter smiled at Harry. “We do have some information that you would be interested in, but as the courts have not yet decided on a date, we can’t tell you much. I hope you understand that we’re being shackled by the courts and would tell you everything we know if we were allowed.”

 

Harry smiled. “I worked as an Auror for nineteen years, Ms. Hunter, believe me when I say I know exactly how frustrating the court system is.”

 

“Of course.” Her smile didn’t reach her eyes – ever – and it left Harry feeling slightly disconcerted. “Well, what we _can_ tell you is this: the Auror Corps are placing charges against her and will be appealing to Mr. Malfoy to see if he wants to place charges against her as well. We cannot say what the charges will be, and he will be advised of his options separately. As for your options…”

 

She paused as she flipped through a book before her. Harry glanced automatically over to Richardson, who seemed to take this as his cue.

 

“Along with the divorce and child custody battle – which I feel safe saying that you can almost be guaranteed in winning – you have a number of options in regards to Mrs. Potter. Attempted fraud is the most obvious accusation you can level at her, due to her attempting to use a homemade love potion on you. You could ask for attempted assault with intent to cause mental harm under the potions clause, also because of the love potion. Together they carry an up to twenty years in prison sentence.”

 

“Prison,” Harry repeated, slightly stunned at the amount of information that he had been hit with in such a short space of time. “She’ll _definitely_ be sent to prison? There’s no other option?”

 

“You want another option?” Ms. Hunter’s head had snapped up the second Harry had finished asking the question. “May I ask why?”

 

Sitting back in his chair, Harry took a sip of his tea to stall for time. He had a proper answer to this question all planned out and he would be damned if he was going to allow his current nerves to make him sound like he was unsure of what he was about to say.

 

“I know for a fact that Ginny isn’t the same kind of criminal that I have dealt with for the past nineteen years. This reaction she has had, along with her attempts to convince me to cancel the divorce proceedings, proves to me that she needs some kind of psychiatric help. I believe that she has had a psychotic break of some sort and that it needs to be treated properly if she is ever to recover.”

 

The two lawyers both stared at him for a few seconds before Richardson recovered. He folded his hands on the table before him and leant forward.

 

“Are you absolutely certain that you want to recommend a psychiatric hospital?”

 

“Ginny is the mother of my children. I can’t allow my kids to go through what I’ve seen other children go through when their parents divorce. By all means, place her in a prison, but I would ask that wherever she gets placed have some kind of mental health facility. I am fully aware that what she has done is a criminal offence and I want her punished for it, but I also know that she needs serious help; help that she can only get from qualified professionals. Placing her in Azkaban would only make whatever is wrong with her worse and who knows what she would attempt when she was finally released. What if she came after one of us again? What if whatever is wrong with her progressed to the point that she tried to harm one of the kids? I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to one of them, or to Draco again, and I knew that I could have prevented it by having her placed in a facility that could have helped her.”

 

He watched as the two of them leant in close to each other and held a quick, whispered discussion. It was obvious that they hadn’t counted on him requesting something like that and he hoped that it wouldn’t change the way the case would be conducted. His fingers clenched automatically around the mug of tea he held as he waited for them to respond.

 

“I believe we can accommodate your wishes, Mr. Potter,” Ms. Hunter responded after what seemed to Harry like an interminable amount of time. “It will take a bit of manoeuvring, but it shouldn’t present a problem at this stage. Of course, any case that is brought against her by the Auror Corps or by Mr. Malfoy will add years to the sentence that she receives from the case you bring against her. She may very well end up locked away for quite a long time.”

 

 _Good._ Harry was a little stunned at the ferocity of the thought and the feelings behind it, but quickly realised that this was what he had been feeling for quite a while in regards to Ginny. As much as he knew that she needed help, he wanted her to be locked away while receiving it. She needed to make amends for what she had done and if being locked away from society was the only way she was going to do that, then that was what he wanted.

 

There didn’t seem to be that much more for him to discuss with the lawyers at that time and he took his leave of them after making a proper appointment to come back the next week to hear what the court had decided in relation to the date and how the case would progress. He knew that with the three different cases that could be brought against Ginny, the court would have to have a large amount of time free to hear them all, as it would make no sense to sentence Ginny, then bring her back out twice more simply to add onto the sentence. He made his way back out of the office towards the Apparition point, eager to get back to the Manor and fill Draco in on what had happened.

 

When he arrived in the lobby of the Manor, it was to discover that Draco wasn’t alone. The sound of Draco's deep laugh echoed to him from the parlour and Harry found himself drawn in that direction automatically. He didn’t get to discover who it was that had made Draco laugh, however, as his wrist was grabbed the second he came within reach of the parlour door. Draco moved swiftly out of the room and had Harry pinned against the wall of the lobby before he could react.

 

The kiss that followed sent Harry’s mind spinning with desire. Draco pressed as close as he could get, slipping his thigh in-between Harry’s legs and slowly rubbing against him. Harry hummed in appreciation and slid his arms up and around Draco's shoulders, holding him close as he enjoyed the sensation. It wasn’t until Draco shifted and broke the trance he had placed Harry under that Harry remembered that they weren’t actually supposed to be indulging in anything of the sort.

 

“Draco…”

 

“Pansy’s here.”

 

“ _What_?” Harry shoved at Draco's shoulders, but only succeeded in creating a gap between them large enough so he could see Draco's eyes properly. “You–”

 

Draco cut him off by placing another – much more chaste – kiss on his lips. “Tomorrow.”

 

Harry groaned as Draco left him standing in the lobby. He wasn’t sure he had ever been this frustrated before and Draco really wasn’t helping.


	36. Chapter 36

Waking at his accustomed early hour the next morning, Draco quickly took stock. The splitting headache he had had when he had first been cursed had diminished considerably over the past few days and the accompanying dizziness only occurred for the first half hour after he had taken a dose of the potion. That little problem was hopefully going to be solved that day, as he was only going to be taking the lowest dose of the potion possible, and even then only if he really needed it. Everything else seemed to be normal and he took a deep breath through his nose, testing to see if he needed the potion at that moment. When the only sensation that he felt was the chill morning air filling his sinuses, he smiled.

 

However, he did need to make absolutely certain that what he wanted to do that morning wasn’t going to cause issues. There was absolutely no point in indulging himself if the result was only going to be another stint in the hospital. Rolling over onto his stomach and pushing himself up onto his elbows, he couldn’t help holding his breath in anticipation for a few seconds. This was the angle the Healer had warned him about, with his head bowed over his forearms, and he was desperately hoping that it wouldn’t cause any extra pain. He smiled again when, after a few minutes of staying in the exact same position, nothing happened other than the slight movement in the bed next to him reminding him of what this meant. Not that he really needed reminding, as Harry lying in the bed next to him had been distracting him from sleep for the past three days.

 

He glanced over to his right when Harry moved again. The desire that ripped through him – causing a bone-deep, aching need – was completely unsurprising. This was the accumulation of seven days’ worth of unsatisfied lust; all Draco was really worried about right at that moment was that he wasn’t going to last very long.

 

Sliding over so he could run a hand down Harry’s chest, Draco smiled again at the feel of the strong muscles beneath his fingers. Harry was nowhere near overly muscled, but he was solid; solid enough to be able to get Draco's blood racing through his veins with little to no effort. His hand trailed off to grasp Harry’s hip before he could move too fast. There was no point in getting himself all worked up and then having to wait for Harry to wake up before he could continue. It seemed he didn’t have to worry, though, as a deep chuckle brought his attention back to the top of the bed.

 

“I should make you wait after that little stunt you pulled yesterday.”

 

Unable to prevent it, Draco grinned. It had taken Harry a few minutes to join him and Pansy after Draco had accosted him in the lobby the day before. Draco took great pride in the fact that he could have that kind of effect on Harry with just a simple kiss. Moving so he was hovering over Harry as he opened his eyes caused Draco’s heart rate to jump again. There was something about waking up next to someone who was actually happy to see him that caused a deep sense of satisfaction to settle in Draco's stomach. The fact that he could clearly read the desire in Harry’s eyes only added to that sensation.

 

“You wouldn’t dare.”

 

Harry grinned back as he flipped them over, pinning Draco to the bed quite effectively. Automatically seeking the stimulation he was beginning to need, Draco tilted his hips upwards, enjoying the small intake of breath Harry gave in response.

 

“Try me.”

 

Harry’s voice was rough and it sent a shiver of desire straight through Draco. Before Harry could move again, Draco grabbed a handful of his hair and dragged him down into a heated kiss, sliding his tongue into Harry’s mouth when he gasped in surprise. His other hand snaked around Harry’s shoulders, pulling him down on top of him and earning himself a groan. Harry adjusted his position so he was straddling Draco properly, their hips aligned. Having Harry lying on top of him – panting with desire and his legs spread wide – wasn’t a new sensation, but after having to wait so long to feel it again, Draco figured it was probably as close to ‘new’ as they were going to get.

 

Draco groaned as his head began to swim with the sensations rushing through him and he knew that they wouldn’t be able to take their time this time. He also knew he was a good enough judge of Harry’s reactions by now to be able to read him properly even from this angle and the way he was moving on top of him combined with the small noises he was making told him that Harry was fairly far gone. If he was going get anything out of that morning besides a hurried hand job, then he was going to have to do it _now_. Draco broke the kiss as he flipped them back over.

 

“Draco…”

 

His name was more moan than word on Harry’s lips. Draco could only hum in response as Harry bent his legs towards his chest and began to rock his hips. Resting his forehead against Harry’s, Draco mumbled the preparation charms and thrust in. He knew he was moving too fast, knew that he risked hurting one or both of them, but was incapable of stopping himself. This is what he had been craving for the past week: to be settled inside the man he loved. This closeness was what he desperately needed.

 

“Harry, I – I…”

 

“Yes… Good, good… _Move_.”

 

It was all Draco needed to hear. Squeezing his eyes shut against the flood of desire and desperation and _need_ , he began to move. Harry’s hands travelled up and down Draco's back before clinging to his shoulders for a few seconds and curling to dig sharp nails into his skin. The jab of pain shocked a noise out of Draco that, embarrassingly enough, sounded very much like a whimper to his ears. He opened his mouth to object to having his shoulders treated as a scratching post, but found all he was capable of producing were moans and half-words.

 

“Har… I… Mmm…”

 

His skin began to tingle, the tension building up in his shoulders threatening to spill over before he was ready. Following his instincts, he reached between them and grasped Harry’s cock, stroking him in time to his increasingly erratic thrusts.

 

“Dray,” Harry moaned into the scant inch of space between their lips. Draco was unsure if it was an accident or if Harry had taken to using Astoria’s nickname for him, but really couldn’t find the willpower to care at that moment. “I’m… Need…”

 

Fighting against the urge to just let go, Draco angled his hips, knowing exactly what Harry needed. It took a few tries and he was beginning to really struggle to not come before Harry. He was right on the brink – his shoulders tensed, his breath coming in short gasps, his balls aching with the need of release – when he finally managed to hit Harry’s prostate. The feeling of relief that washed through him when Harry yelled his release and coated Draco's hand and stomach with jet after jet of hot cum sent his head spinning. His own orgasm was hardly less intense, but he managed to not scream about it. He knew he was making a sound, trying to form words as he came, but he was absolutely certain that they made no real sense. He collapsed down on top of Harry the second his body stopped spasming. Despite the fact that he was both completely exhausted and satisfied, he didn’t actually fall asleep straight away.

 

“Harry…”

 

It took a few seconds of panting before Harry managed to make a response. “ _Fuck_.”

 

Laughter bubbled up out of Draco before he could even think about stopping it. He buried his face onto the crook of Harry’s neck and breathed deeply, enjoying being able to breathe in Harry’s musky, post-sex scent again.

 

“Exactly,” he responded, earning himself another deep chuckle.

 

Draco remembered to cast a cleansing charm over them before rolling back over onto his side of the bed. He didn’t get to enjoy having the freedom of being able to breathe clearly for very long, though, as Harry rolled over and threw his arm over Draco's chest.

 

“I missed you.”

 

Staring down at the mop of messy hair now resting on his shoulder, Draco blinked in surprise. The memory of the flash of relief he had felt earlier surfaced and he grinned. Trust Harry to be able to put something like that into such a seemingly simple sentiment. Raising a hand, he brushed a clump of hair off Harry’s forehead so he could see his face properly. Harry took a deep breath, one that told Draco he was asleep again already. Shaking his head, he settled himself more comfortably against the pillows and closed his eyes.

 

“You too.”

 

*~*

 

Harry spent the entire day floating in a blissfully happy bubble. That morning had been the absolute perfect way to start the day and to break the week-long restriction on sex. It surprised him how quickly he had become accustomed to having sex at regular intervals, especially considering he had spent nineteen years basically going without most of the time. But then, he reconsidered, he had never been presented with this kind of temptation before either.

 

“Dad?”

 

“Hmm?” Harry glanced up to see Lily standing in the doorway to the living room of Grimmauld, watching him as he sat on the lounge staring into space. He gave himself a mental shake to clear his mind before refocussing on her. “What’s up, Lil?”

 

“Why are we back in Grimmauld and not with Draco?”

 

Harry blinked in surprise, trying to work out why she was asking. Something niggled in the back of his mind, causing him to wonder whether Lily was becoming too attached to Draco. Countering that, there was also a train of thought asking why her becoming attached to Draco was a bad thing. It wasn’t like Harry was considering breaking up with him – particularly after that morning – so Lily being able to get along with Draco was actually a good thing. Especially considering the way James had reacted to them being together.

 

But then, maybe they were moving too fast for her? This kind of relationship was certainly not what he wanted Lily to believe was normal. He and Draco were old enough to know exactly what and who they wanted, but if Lily started to think that moving this fast was what regular couples did… He shook his head. No, of course Lily didn’t think that this was how every relationship went. She had the influence of the Weasleys as well as seeing what his own relationship with Ginny had been like before everything blew up. Scowling, he realised that he didn’t want her to have _that_ kind of relationship either. Mentally cursing himself for getting distracted, he decided that he could overanalyse his and Draco's relationship later on when he was alone. Patting the lounge beside him, he grinned when Lily moved to sit on the edge of the cushions.

 

“We live here, Lil. Malfoy Manor is Draco and Astoria’s house. He’s spending the night there tonight.”

 

“But…” She pressed her lips together in an obvious show of confusion. “You lived with Mum for a long time before you got married, right?”

 

_Marriage again?_ “Yes,” Harry replied cautiously.

 

“So shouldn’t you and Draco be living together?”

 

Harry hung his head, unable to prevent the huge smile that broke on his face. What it was about him and Draco that caused their children to make these kinds of assumptions about them, he had no idea.

 

“Dad?”

 

Sighing as he looked back up at Lily, Harry smiled. “What makes you think we’re getting married, Lil?”

 

She frowned. “That’s what people who love each other do.” There was a slightly strange tone to her voice that gave Harry the hint that there was something else she wasn’t telling him, so he simply raised an eyebrow at her. “Fine,” she sighed, sounding like Harry had just forced her to confess national secrets. “Al and Scorpius told me before they went back to Hogwarts. But they said that I wasn’t allowed to say anything to you or Draco, so you can’t tell them that I told you!”

 

The look she gave him – wide eyed and slightly panicked – had Harry smiling again. “Don’t worry, I won’t say a word.” _Not about you, at least_. “Did they say why they thought that?”

 

“No, but they also said to not say anything to James, either. Not that I would because he’s a–”

 

“ _Lily_.”

 

“What? He’s not here.”

 

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Harry sighed again. “It’s not nice to call your brother names when he isn’t here to defend himself.”

 

He watched as Lily flung herself back against the cushions of the lounge with a gusty sigh. James had inherited more than a little of the Weasley sense of humour, which often led to him clashing with both Lily and Albus. He knew that it was inevitable that Lily and James would argue a lot as they grew into teenagers, but it seemed that with what had happened over the past two months, Lily was determined to start early. While he appreciated the thought that she was standing up for him and Draco, he really didn’t need for her to do it with quite so much tenacity.

 

“So you’re not getting married then.”

 

Harry smiled. “No, sorry. We’re both still married to our wives and we have the court case to get through before we can think of anything like that.”

 

He would have gone on, but the flare of the floo stopped him. His hand automatically went to the holster on the side of his jeans, as he wasn’t expecting anyone, but he immediately relaxed when Draco stepped out of the flames, brushing basically invisible dust from his white shirt. Lily made it to her feet before Harry could and almost flung herself into Draco's waiting arms.

 

“Hullo Draco. Dad said you weren’t going to be here tonight.” Lily stepped back from Draco and Harry got a glimpse of a wide smile on her face.

 

“Good afternoon Lily,” Draco responded solemnly with a slight bow of his head that made Lily giggle. “I wasn’t actually supposed to be here, but I’ve received something your Dad might like to see.”

 

The slight hint of excitement to Draco's voice would have probably not been obvious to anyone who wasn’t used to listening to Draco's voice so closely, but Harry heard it clearly. He frowned slightly and tilted his head, silently asking what was going on. Draco's eyes flickered down to Lily before focussing back on Harry. Nodding in response, Harry stood to place a hand on Lily’s shoulder.

 

“How about you go find those books you wanted to ask about, Lil?”

 

“Alright.”

 

Lily grinned at the two of them before turning and speeding off up the stairs. Harry knew it would take her a while to find the books she wanted to ask Draco about, mostly because he had moved one of them down into the kitchen that morning so he could see exactly what she wanted to ask about. A small huff of breath beside him dragged his attention back to Draco, who was watching him with an amused smirk.

 

“She really likes you.”

 

The smirk turned to a grin as Draco raised an eyebrow, pinning Harry with a cocky look that used to piss him off when he was younger. “Of course she does; she gets it from you.”

 

“Please,” Harry scoffed. “You think liking you is genetic?”

 

“It’s an inherent part of your nature, so why shouldn’t she have inherited it?”

 

“Inherent–”

 

The rest of Harry’s outraged response was muffled by Draco dragging him into a kiss. The idea that he had been destined to fall for Draco was slightly insulting, almost as though he had never had a choice. Not that he was objecting to falling so hard for Draco, but he had had enough of prophecies to last him two lifetimes.

 

He only really got into the kiss when Draco wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling him flush up against him. The second Draco's tongue slid into his mouth, Harry’s mind was wiped clear of anything to do with destinies. His own hand slid up to tangle through Draco's soft hair, tugging slightly to move him into a better angle. Draco broke the kiss long before Harry wanted to and he leant in, following Draco as he leant backwards.

 

“You were saying?”

 

“Bastard.” Stepping backwards again, Harry fell back onto the lounge. “What was so important that Lily had to be sent away?”

 

Draco eyed him for a few seconds, amusement glinting in his eyes. Harry stretched his legs out in front of him in response, relaxing into the soft cushions of the lounge. He rested his arms along the back of the lounge, opening himself up for Draco's perusal. His aim of encouraging the small flare of desire that he got a glimpse of through the amusement seemed to have more than been achieved and he was rewarded with a scowl from Draco.

 

“Stop that. You’ll need to concentrate on this.” Moving so he could lie down on the opposite end of the lounge with his feet resting in Harry’s lap, Draco waved a piece of parchment towards him. “I received a letter after you left this morning that may interest you.”

 

Harry removed Draco's shoes and socks before taking the piece of parchment from him. With one hand slowly rubbing small circles on the ball of Draco's foot, Harry spread the letter out in front of him.

 

_Dear Mr. Malfoy,_

_I don’t know if this will ever reach you, but I had to try. I have been following your story through the newspapers over the past few months and I know that you have been getting a lot of hate through the mail. This isn’t one of those letters, however, and I hope you won’t just throw it out without giving me a chance._

_I graduated from Hogwarts this past May and have spent the past five months traveling around Europe. I didn’t want to stay in the British wizarding community because I knew there were some things that I had to work out about myself and that those things were better done in communities where I knew no one. The reason I am writing to you is because the story about you and Mr. Potter came out just as I did. I spent so long watching others and trying to force myself to fit in with what my friends found attractive that I didn’t realise that it was forced._

_The day the article about you came out in the_ Prophet _was the day I arrived back in England. I sat in my flat just reading and re-reading your story. Knowing that there are others out there who have struggled with something like this was what gave me the courage to finally face what I had been denying. I told my parents and siblings that night that I am gay. Both of my parents seemed surprised, but my sisters didn’t._

_It took my parents a little while to come to terms with the idea, but they came around eventually. I now have the full support of my family as I learn to live with my new identity and I have you and Mr. Potter to thank for giving me the courage to face myself. I haven’t yet found anyone who I have been interested in enough to have a proper relationship with, but I am hopeful for the first time in my life that I will eventually find someone to love and who loves me back._

_I’m sorry for the rambling style of this letter, but I had to write and thank you. You and Mr. Potter are both stable, happy members of the wizarding community and I believe that having such prominent examples of how happy a gay man can be in today’s society helped a lot when it came to coming out to my parents. So I want to thank you. You have helped me in more ways than you can ever know and I know I can never thank you enough for that._

_Joseph Jones._

 

Harry sat and stared down at the letter in his hand for a long time. It had never occurred to him that by coming out in such a public way, they could have had any kind of effect on anyone other than the two of them and their immediate friends and family. His world had been rather insular since the article had come out, mostly due to the fear he held that his children would suffer due to his own decisions.

 

“Harry?” Draco's toes wriggled in his lap and Harry smiled.

 

“We helped him.”

 

“We did.” The warmth in Draco's voice caused Harry to glance over to him. “I figured you would like to know that not everyone out there is against you. Or us.”

 

Brushing Draco's feet off his lap, Harry moved up the lounge so he was hovering above Draco, who grinned at him. “Thank you.”

 

The kiss that followed would have been much more intense had Harry not been painfully aware that Lily was most likely going to come pounding down the stairs at any second. He kept some of his attention listening to the sounds around them so he didn’t lose himself completely as Draco sucked on his tongue. Thumping footsteps pulled them apart a few seconds later.

 

“Stay here tonight.”

 

“That is exactly what I was planning on doing.”


	37. Chapter 37

No matter how many times he took a deep breath and let it out slowly, Draco found that he couldn’t calm his nerves. He had left Harry and Lily at Grimmauld that afternoon – where he had been staying since last Thursday – so he could keep an appointment with his lawyers. He had tried to get one earlier, but they had put him off until Monday afternoon, stating that they wanted to wait until they knew more and therefore could give him the most useful amount of information at once. Not that Draco was ungrateful for any information they could give him, but that wasn’t the only reason he was anxious about this meeting. He hadn’t told anyone but Astoria, but today was the day he intended to sign the divorce papers.

 

It was a strange sensation, knowing that everything that he had worked so hard for was about to be undone by his own hand, but it was something that he knew had to happen. Astoria had been his safety net for so long, but it was time. He had Harry and a whole new life to look forward to, so it was only fair that he allow her the same chance. A new start of her own is what he owed her for helping him for so long and that was exactly what he was going to offer her.

 

He sighed as his stomach flipped again. He hadn’t had any serious use for his lawyers since the trials, with the exception of using them to discover exactly how far he could go in certain aspects of his work without attracting the attention of the Aurors. Not that he had ever strayed that far from the law, but it was good to know the limits of one’s activities. Especially if one just happened to have been a Death Eater.

 

“Oi, watch it!”

 

Draco scowled as he accidentally brushed against the shoulder of a man in Diagon. He knew he had become complacent since the end of the War: not watching every shadow for potential threats and not eyeing the people around him with the same level of suspicion as he used to. It was a state of being that he quite enjoyed; one that he was unwilling to give up. Or, at least, he had thought he was unwilling. The idea that he was prepared to change everything he found comfortable for Harry… He shivered. It was a terrifying thought.

 

“Mr. Malfoy! How are you this afternoon?” The secretary’s voice was as warm and welcoming as always when Draco entered the lobby of the lawyer’s offices.

 

“Fine, thank you.” Draco took another deep breath and gave himself a mental shake, putting Harry as far to the back of his mind as he could. “Are they ready to see me?”

 

“Of course. If you would follow me.”

 

Draco nodded, feeling his public mask slip over him. He had always found it so much easier to deal with people if he didn’t present his true self to them. He had found that he had had little use for this public persona recently, with the amount of time he had been spending with Harry, but it slipped over him like he had never dropped it. Straightening his back and keeping his eyes trained ahead of him, Draco shot a glare at anyone stupid enough to glance his way. He knew that the intimidation that he was able to make a lot of people feel was second-hand, due to his father and the memories people still had of him during the War, but he would take it where he could get it. If it allowed him any kind of freedom that he wouldn’t have otherwise, then he wouldn’t turn it down. The secretary stopped in a vestibule with a set of comfy-looking furniture and a pair of doors, ones that Draco knew led into a smaller, more intimate suite of rooms reserved for the lawyer’s long-term clients.

 

“If you would just wait here for a few moments, I’ll check to make sure everything is ready.” Her smile widened when Draco nodded again. “Very good.”

 

Taking a seat on the armchair, Draco took the time to glance around, getting reacquainted with his surroundings. The last time he had sat in this vestibule had been during his trial, but there didn’t seem to be all that much that had changed in the intervening years: the comfortable leather chair and lounge setting appeared to be the same one that matched almost perfectly with the wooden panelling of the walls and the small room still held the same sense of intimidation that Draco remembered. Not that he thought that there was any need for there to have been a change, as a firm this old must have a solid foundation to be able to have lasted above all their competition. His eyes slid back to the doors when they opened to emit the secretary.

 

“They are ready for you, Mr. Malfoy. I hope everything will be to your satisfaction while you are here.”

 

Draco nodded as he stood. She was a nice girl, one that he found completely forgettable as soon as she was out of his sight: a very good choice for a secretary. The room he entered was slightly darker than the offices outside, which were brightly lit by some form of magic that Draco had never bothered to wonder about. All three partners were waiting inside for him, each in an armchair with a tumbler of what appeared to be rather expensive whiskey. A fire crackled merrily in the hearth, giving off the scent of pine, which Draco knew to be a rather simple charm, one that his father had used on their fire at Christmas when he had been a child.

 

“Ah, young Mr. Malfoy!” Garrett Richardson stood from his chair and extended a hand as Draco entered the room. “So good to see you again.”

 

Draco offered up a small smile. He knew that Richardson had been just starting off in the company when Abraxas Malfoy, Draco's grandfather, had had control of the family fortune. The Malfoy family had been doing business through this firm for many years before Garrett Richardson had been a part of it, following in his own father’s footsteps, and Draco knew that it was due to this that Richardson felt comfortable enough with him to address him in such an informal way. Hell, even Lucius was ‘young Mr. Malfoy’ to Garrett Richardson. It was something that Draco knew he would simply have to put up with if he was to keep cordial relations with the team.

 

“Likewise, Mr. Richardson. How is the family?”

 

This set Richardson off on a long and involved explanation of how his eldest daughter had just given him a grandson, how his son-in-law was completely useless – despite the fact that Draco knew that Marianne Richardson had married the star Seeker of the English Quidditch team – but how he had hope for his younger daughter and his son. The son appeared to be the favourite, mostly because he was looking to follow in Garrett’s footsteps and become the ‘Richardson’ in the firm’s name after graduating from Hogwarts in two years’ time. Draco's attention drifted over to where the other two partners were sitting in front of the fire and received a smile and roll of Jeanette Hunter’s eyes. Draco had never really liked her, but he smiled back anyway; there was no need to put her offside without a valid reason. Peter MacGregor smiled at him as well, but Draco had always seen something cold in his expression that caused his smiles to look more like grimaces than anything else.

 

“But enough about me,” Richardson concluded after a few minutes. “There has been a lot of changes in the Malfoy household over the past few months that need to be addressed, am I right?” He guided Draco over to a spare armchair and pressed a tumbler of whiskey into his hand before Draco could turn it down.

 

“Yes, there has,” Draco responded after taking a slow sip of his drink. The liquid burned its way down his throat and he smiled. “Although, I believe that you are acquainted with much of it already.”

 

“True, and we must thank you for sending Mr. Potter our way.” It was Hunter who had responded and Draco turned a mild smile on her. “We believe that we will be able to help him greatly over the course of this case, as well as in the future.”

 

It was a pitch that he had heard many times before: ‘thank you so much, Mr. Malfoy’, ‘we are so grateful, Mr. Malfoy’, ‘this will be of great help to us, Mr. Malfoy.’ Many people had tried to crawl to him in this way over the years, but it had never yet worked. Jeanette Hunter had only come into the firm ten years before, so she had missed much of what Draco's family had used the firm for. He much preferred to deal with Richardson because of this, but he allowed her to continue, if only because it gave him an idea of how to deal with her. He knew that she was buttering him up, but he leant back against the soft cushions and simply let her speak for a few minutes, enjoying the idea that someone who commanded so much power was trying to sweet talk him, for lack of a better term. Of course, the fact that she obviously thought that he could be bought with a few simple compliments was amusing him no end. He tired of it quickly, though, and interrupted her with a nod and a raise of his hand.

 

“Well, I needed to know that he was receiving the best service he could get. I assume you are doing everything for him that you would do for me?”

 

He had allowed a slight edge to enter his voice, just enough so that he could deny it if questioned, but clear enough so he was sure they had all heard it. The tone was more of a warning than anything else; a little way to let her know that he could go elsewhere if he so chose and take Harry with him. It was with a great amount of pleasure that he saw Hunter’s eyes widen, but he didn’t let it show.

 

“Of course! Mr. Potter is receiving every attention we offer!”

 

It seemed for a few seconds as though Draco had managed to insult her, if the slight curl of her lip was anything to go by. However, she recovered quickly and offered him an obviously fake smile. The idea that he could be pacified with a smarmy smile from a woman who had just shown him that she was unhappy with what he had said was more insulting than it really should have been. Draco straightened in his chair and raised an eyebrow at her with a look that had caused many men to back off the line of thought they had been pushing over the years. Her smile faltered a little before she continued.

 

“I do hope that neither he nor you are dissatisfied with our service?”

 

Draco took another slow sip of his drink before replying, allowing her to stew for a few seconds. He knew he really shouldn’t be using these kinds of tactics with his lawyers, but allowing them – or, rather, _her_ specifically – to know that he was _choosing_ to go through them was giving him a slight rush that he hadn’t felt in too long. The fact that he was also managing to push the idea that he would not be swayed by a simple smile couldn’t hurt things either, he figured.

 

“Of course not. This firm has taken care of my family for a long time and we have never had any cause to complain about the service we receive.” A strange look crossed MacGregor’s face at Draco's use of the word ‘family’ in reference to Harry, but it was quickly covered up. “However, whether I am satisfied with your service or not isn’t why I have come here tonight.”

 

“No, of course it isn’t,” Richardson responded in a placating tone. Whether he was trying to calm Draco or Hunter was up for debate, but Draco figured the fact that he was trying to diffuse the situation was a point in his favour. “We do have some useful information for you, Mr. Malfoy.”

 

“Good.” Draco raised his glass and waited until a house-elf wearing the Ministry-issued uniform his own house-elves wore had refilled it before continuing. “I also have a request to make. But please continue, Mr. Richardson.”

 

Draco knew that Hunter had noticed that he had chosen Richardson over her to speak to and hoped that it would drive his point home. She couldn’t treat him like one of the common rabble and expect him to not react in a manner suitable to the level of insult she had offered him. Something clicked in the back of his mind and it occurred to him that he was much easier to insult when Harry wasn’t with him. Was it possible that Harry had dulled some of his haughtier reactions that he had developed over the years to discourage people from trying to get too close to him? He shook his head and tuned back in to Richardson’s droning voice.

 

“Of course, we know that you must be aware of the options that have been presented to Mr. Potter and what he has chosen to pursue in regards to his part of this case. The law does not state that the two of you are not allowed to discuss the case as, despite the fact that you are presenting two different parts of the case, it is essentially one and the same. What we need to know is if you are happy to pursue the same avenue against Mrs. Potter as Mr. Potter is.”

 

“Weasley.” The correction was out of Draco's mouth before he even had time to think about it.

 

“Excuse me?”

 

He knew he was quibbling with tiny details – details that weren’t even official yet – but hearing _her_ addressed as a Potter had sent anger shooting through him. Silently cursing himself for his stupidity, Draco met Richardson’s eyes.

 

“She no longer wishes to be a Potter. Therefore, she must be a Weasley.” Draco had to resist the urge to breathe a sigh of relief when Richardson nodded his agreement to his amended statement. “You’re correct in assuming that Harry and I have discussed the case and his options. I agree with him that she needs to be placed in a prison that has a mental health facility. There is obviously something that has damaged her psychologically and it will need to be treated if Harry and their children are ever to have anything even resembling a regular life. I will, however, ask that you try to get her locked away for as long as possible. I don’t know how long Harry was told she can be locked up for altogether, but I would like to request the longest term possible.”

 

“Well, Mr. Potter is going to be charging her with different offences than you are able to. Twenty years is the maximum that she could be facing under what Mr. Potter is going to accuse her of. You on the other hand…” Richardson paused, glancing over to where MacGregor and Hunter sat, both watching the interaction intently. “Grievous bodily harm with intent. She can face life imprisonment for that charge alone. If we cannot convince the court that she intended to murder you – and I will warn you that it is unlikely that we will be able to prove it – then the next thing we will ask for is fifteen to twenty five years for grievous bodily harm with a dangerous weapon. The fact that she used an Auror’s wand to cause the injury will extend the usual five years into fifteen for this charge.”

 

_Fifteen to life?_ Draco's mind raced through the consequences of asking them to try for the life sentence. He had no idea how Harry would react, but he was damn sure that Lily, James and Albus would never forgive him if he got their mother locked away forever. Why it hadn’t occurred to him before was beyond him, but it was slowly starting to become clear that this case could adversely affect his relationship with Harry if he didn’t tread very carefully.

 

“If you try for the life sentence and it is rejected, how long until the re-trial can be set?”

 

Richardson sat back in his armchair and swirled his whiskey in his glass before responding. “It is likely that the charges posted by both Mr. Potter and whatever the Auror Department are placing against her are going to stick, so she could already be serving quite a lengthy sentence by the time a re-trial is scheduled. Organising the amount of people it would take to get a prisoner transferred from a facility for a re-trial could take months, possibly even up to a year.”

 

Draco nodded as his thoughts raced. “How long will I have to decide?”

 

“We do not have a solid date for the trial as of yet, but there are stirrings about next Monday.”

 

_Seven days._ That meant that he had roughly two or three days before the lawyers would _have_ to know what he wanted to go with. He was leaning towards the easier option of assault with a dangerous weapon. Accumulated, all the charges sounded like they would land Ginevra with at least fifty years behind bars if Draco tried for the lesser charge. That would mean that he and Harry would be almost ninety years old by the time she was released and, really, who would care about something that had happened so long ago at that age? But then… Life imprisonment would guarantee that everyone he cared for was completely safe from her forever. He shook his head.

 

“Would it be alright if I took a few days to decide? I’ll be sure to let you know by Wednesday.”

 

“Of course, of course.” Richardson offered up a huge smile as Draco stood. “You mentioned that there was a request you wished to make earlier?”

 

Draco glanced over to the other two sitting in front of the fire. Before he could answer, however, MacGregor stood.

 

“It has been a true pleasure, Mr. Malfoy, and I wish to reiterate that we will offer both you and Mr. Potter every service we can over the course of this trial. However, Ms. Hunter and I have another client who requires our attention. If you would excuse us?”

 

Draco automatically shook the hand that MacGregor extended to him. Hunter followed the young man out of the door after offering her hand to Draco as well. It was obvious that there was no other client, but Draco appreciated the thought.

 

“That is a highly intelligent young man you seem to have picked up, Mr. Richardson. Very… diplomatic.”

 

Richardson chuckled quietly as he moved over towards a desk placed in a dark corner of the room. Lights lit with a wave of his hand and the desk was revealed to have all kinds of papers covering nearly every surface.

 

“I fear I must apologise for Jeanette’s words earlier. I hope you weren’t too offended; she is used to being able to sway men’s opinions her way with a simple batting of her eyelashes.”

 

“Mmm,” Draco responded non-committedly. “She is, unfortunately for her, aiming those charms in entirely the wrong direction with me.”

 

This earned him another chuckle and Draco felt himself begin to relax a little. It was strange, but there was simply something about Garrett Richardson that put him at ease. Perhaps it was the fact that he had known the man his entire life and knew that he had helped his family out of the worst scapes they had ever managed to get themselves into? Whatever it was, Draco found himself much more willing to speak now that the other two had left the room.

 

“Which leads us into the reason I assume you are really here.” Richardson reached into the drawer of the desk and pulled out a sheaf of parchment. “You wish to sign your divorce papers?”

 

Draco smiled. “Yes, I do.”

 

“Please remember to read through them thoroughly before signing to make sure we got everything correct. I’ll give you some privacy for a few minutes.”

 

Moving so he could take a seat in the chair behind the desk, Draco smiled again when the house-elf reappeared to refill his glass with the expensive whiskey. He sipped it slowly this time as he read through the pages of information, checking to make sure everything was stated the way he and Astoria had agreed on. She had come into this marriage with a substantial fortune of her own, even if the Greengrass inheritance had been split between Astoria and Daphne. They had always kept separate bank accounts, with the exception of one thing: they had split each of their earnings in half and placed one half in a separate account for Scorpius to inherit on his twenty first birthday. Scorpius was not to inherit the Malfoy fortune or Manor until he was married, just as Draco had, so this money would keep him until then.

 

Most of the information in the papers was things that they had set out when they had first married, so Draco knew that none of that would have changed. It held provisions for both Astoria and Scorpius, as well as Draco, should something disastrous happen. When he reached the pages he had to sign, Draco took up the fancy-looking quill and dipped it into the ink pot. This was it, the end of his marriage. He signed on the line quickly, making sure that the signature was recognisable as being his. Richardson re-entered the room just as he was placing the quill back into the holder.

 

“Well, everything seems to be in order. I’ll file these tonight and by tomorrow morning, you will be a free man, Mr. Malfoy.”

 

_A free man._ The idea was both terrifying and exhilarating at the same time.


	38. Chapter 38

It was early, much earlier than Harry had been up since he had been working nights at the Department. Not even Draco had been awake when Harry had slipped out of bed, but he found a thought circling around his mind that was preventing him from sleep. Standing at the huge windows of the drawing room of Grimmauld Place, Harry’s eyes weren’t focussed on the wind and rain outside, obscuring his view of the street. Holding his left hand in front of him, he was staring at the wedding band on his finger. He wasn’t certain how something could cause simultaneous feelings of loathing and safety, but that was what washed through him as the simple gold band glinted on his finger.

 

Draco had arrived back at Grimmauld the night before tasting of very expensive whiskey and brandishing the papers that stated that he was now officially divorced. It hadn’t even occurred to Harry that he was still wearing his wedding band until Draco had shown him the signed papers. It had been such an intricate part of his identity for nearly half his life and now it was… What? A symbol of everything that had gone wrong with his life in the past two months, that’s what. He and Ginny had picked out their wedding bands together, with Harry opting for the plain gold version of Ginny’s diamond ring. That memory had held happy connotations for him for years, but now it was tainted with questions. Had Ginny already been seeking someone else at that point? Had she already found someone and that day had been just a joke to her? This ring represented a part of his life that was over and he knew that he should remove it, even if it was just as a sign of good faith for Draco. However, he was still wearing it. Out of habit mostly, he figured. Frowning, he twisted the ring, contemplating just yanking it off and casting it into the fire.

 

There was no reason why he shouldn’t. It wasn’t like he was hoping to get back together with Ginny, after all. And who would know? Most people wouldn’t care and those who did notice that he was no longer wearing it would probably assume that it was sitting in a drawer somewhere. Or, no: maybe he could burn it properly. Safely, of course, and away from where Lily could see what he was doing. It could be therapeutic. As focused as he was on his hands, he didn’t realise Draco had entered the room until a pair of arms circled around his waist.

 

“What are you doing up so early?”

 

Draco's voice was low and rough with sleep, sending a shiver straight through Harry’s stomach. Abandoning the thoughts for the time being, he turned and wrapped his arms around Draco's neck, drawing him into a soft kiss. Draco hummed in response and tightened his grip on Harry’s waist, pulling him flush against his chest. He was still warm from their bed, but Harry reached to grab his wand from the table beside them so he could cast a warming charm over the room anyway. Breathing Draco's scent deeply, Harry smiled as desire began to build in him slowly, warming his limbs. It seemed that Draco actually wanted a response, however, as he began to pull back from the kiss after a few seconds.

 

“I was contemplating arson,” Harry whispered as soon as there was a large enough gap between them so he could speak. “Do you think a charge like that might harm the case?”

 

Draco stared down at him for a few seconds before responding, his expression unreadable. “And leave Lily to be raised by her grandparents?”

 

“You are too practical for your own good sometimes.” Grinning, Harry unwound his arms and stepped back away from Draco, intending to make his way downstairs into the kitchen. “Breakfast?”

 

He made it halfway across the room before the door swung shut, seemingly by itself. The sound of the locks clicking and the feel of silencing charms washing over the room told him that this was no accident and he turned to face Draco. The trace of lust in Draco's eyes as he lowered his wand had Harry’s blood racing again, but he stayed where he was, allowing Draco to call the shots.

 

“You believe I am too practical?”

 

The haughty tone that entered Draco's voice had Harry smiling again. Dressed as he was in his flannelette pyjamas and fluffy dressing gown with his hair still mussed from sleep, Draco looked the exact opposite of the stuffy potioneer façade that he presented to the world.

 

“Yes,” Harry replied, enjoying the slow raise of an eyebrow Draco gave in response. “You’re always very cautious and safe. What was the last risk you took?”

 

Draco moved quickly, crossing the room in a few strides. He grabbed a handful of Harry’s hair and tilted his head back so their eyes met.

 

“I’ll take _you_ any chance I get.”

 

Harry grinned. “Get on with it then.”

 

Draco's lips descended on his in a harsh kiss, causing Harry’s grin to widen. The idea that he was a risk that Draco had taken sent pleasure coursing through Harry’s body. Judging by the current levels of enthusiasm he was being kissed with, he figured that Draco must believe that the risk had paid off. Stepping closer, he groaned when one of Draco's hands landed on his hip, clenching sporadically. The groan turned disappointed when Draco pushed him back, breaking the kiss in the process.

 

“Move.”

 

It was obvious that the word was a command and Harry followed Draco's guiding hands. He found himself pushed back against the table he had nicked from one of the rarely-used rooms when he had first come to Grimmauld. With Draco pressed up against him, Harry’s mind began to race through all the things they could do while Lily was still asleep. It seemed that Draco's thoughts were running along the same line as his, if the appraising look he was receiving was anything to go off and Harry only just resisted the urge to groan again. Reaching to pull Draco down into a kiss again, Harry frowned when Draco pulled back from him.

 

“Stand as still as possible.”

 

Harry’s frown deepened. “What? Why?”

 

Leaning in again, Draco grinned. “No questions or I may have to gag you.”

 

With that, he bent to begin nibbling along the line of Harry’s jaw. Harry’s eyes slid closed as goosebumps rose along his neck, sending delightful shivers through him. It had been a while since Draco had tried to make him slow down during sex, but the intensity of having his skin slowly sucked on or lightly bitten in the build-up hadn’t lessened. Running his hands up Draco's back, Harry dug his nails into the warm dressing gown, but he found that that wasn’t enough: he needed to _feel_ Draco. His hands moved restlessly, sliding over Draco's shoulders and down what he could reach of his chest, but he found himself stymied by cloth no matter where he reached.

 

“Draco–”

 

“Shh.”

 

“What? But–” Harry only just stopped himself from whining when Draco's lips left his skin, but it was a close thing.

 

“Harry.” The pupils of Draco's eyes were blown wide as he leant in to touch their foreheads together. “Do you trust me?”

 

Harry’s pulse kicked up a few notches at the look in Draco's eyes and he had to gulp a deep breath before he answered. “Yes.”

 

Draco grinned before grasping Harry’s wrists and pinning his hands behind his back. “Then just hold still and let me play.”

 

Holding still had never really been one of Harry’s strong points, but he clenched his hands onto the rim of the table behind him to prevent himself from wriggling too much. Draco smiled in response before going back to nibbling on the pulse point in the side of Harry’s throat. He made his way slowly downwards, but ran into the same problem Harry had: they were both wearing too much. With a frustrated grunt, Draco grabbed his wand from the table where he had tossed it and Vanished every stitch of clothing separating them.

 

Draco's version of ‘playing’ with him was something Harry only had to put up with on rare occasions, thankfully. The slow tease of Draco's lips making their way down his body was something Harry both craved and hated. He knew that Draco enjoyed making him squirm, that he liked to hear him slowly losing control and this was proven when Draco reached Harry’s nipples. At first, the only touches Draco allowed him were a few flicks of his tongue over one of the hard nubs. Despite the pleasure lancing through him, Harry only bit his bottom lip in response, knowing what was coming. Draco's eyes met his and he grinned just before he bit down. The sharp shock of pain that ripped through him caused Harry’s back to arch and a deep groan to escape him. His fingers clenched on the edge of the table behind him, but he suppressed the urge to grab hold of Draco's hair and hold him there. Unfortunately, without Harry’s hand tangled in his hair to hold him in place, Draco was free to move on whenever he wanted. Frustration ripped through Harry’s veins, but he knew better than to complain. He knew he would be satisfied, even if he had to put up with a little frustration first.

 

“Harry.”

 

Draco's voice vibrated through Harry’s chest as his lips traced the line of the scar that ran between two of Harry’s ribs. Harry waited for him to continue, but his name was the only thing Draco said. Giving in to the urge, Harry unclenched one of his hands from the table and moved to tangle it through Draco's soft hair, tugging gently. Draco resisted the pull, however, and continued to move painfully slowly down Harry’s body.

 

“Harry.”

 

Draco's voice was now barely above a whisper and it sent Harry’s insides shivering with desire. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on the sensations Draco was sending through him. The expectation rushing through him was causing Harry’s muscles to tense and he was nearly trembling with it by the time Draco's hot breath ghosted over the head of his hard cock.

 

“Harry.”

 

“Please…” The deep chuckle that Draco gave felt almost as though it vibrated the air around Harry and he let out a shaky breath in response. “Please, Draco, I need…”

 

“Mmm, I know exactly what you need,” Draco whispered, his lips brushing gently against the hot skin of Harry’s cock.

 

Before Harry could even think of responding, Draco licked a stripe up the underside of his cock, stealing any sensible thoughts from Harry’s mind. Harry kept his eyes closed as Draco's lips moved over him, concentrating on the sensations rather than the visual. He had thought that the tension that had already built inside him had been as bad as it would get. He had thought that once Draco had had enough of teasing him, he would be allowed some form of release. It was now becoming obvious to him that he should have known better. Licking and gently sucking, Draco was giving him just enough stimulation to keep his mind from forming any kind of objection, but it was nowhere near enough to allow him any form of relief.

 

“I… I…” Harry had to stop when Draco dragged a noise out of him that sounded like a combination of a whine and moan. “ _Fuck_ … Draco…”

 

Draco hummed again, shutting Harry up quite effectively. “Ready?”

 

Still incapable of speech, Harry nodded, his eyes tightly squeezed shut. He shivered as Draco's hands trailed back up his body, but as it was the only touch he was being allowed – besides his hand clenched in Draco's hair – he didn’t dare object. He didn’t end up having to wait long for more, though, as Draco's hands hooked under his legs the second he was standing again. Harry allowed himself to be guided until he was lying back on the table, his knees bent up to his chest and Draco's weight pressing him into the cool wood. He heard Draco mutter the charms and felt the pressure of being entered, but still he kept his eyes closed. Draco let out a slightly shaky breath as soon as he was settled against Harry’s body.

 

“Harry.” Draco's voice was rough and Harry could easily hear the strain. “Open your eyes.”

 

The level of desire Harry was met with when he obeyed and met Draco's eyes stole what little breath he had managed to get back. Unable to resist, he dragged Draco down and into a deep kiss, putting everything he was feeling at that moment behind it. Draco met him with an intensity matching his own as he began to move. Knowing it would help speed things along, Harry reached down to grasp Draco’s arse, squeezing in time to his thrusts. He could feel his orgasm building rapidly and knew he wouldn’t last long, not with the amount of stimulation Draco had already given him. He squeezed his muscles, testing to see how far gone Draco was as well. The deep groan and stuttering of Draco’s hips told him that it wouldn’t take that much. Draco broke the kiss when Harry managed to work his fingers down to press against Draco's perineum.

 

“Harry…” Draco worked a hand in between them and began to stroke Harry, dragging a whine out of him. “Harry… Come for me.”

 

It took a few more strokes and a perfectly timed hit to his prostate before Harry was coating Draco's hand and both their stomachs with his release. Draco followed close behind him, his hips thrusting in small jerks as he emptied himself deep inside Harry.

 

It was the look of pure bliss on Draco's face that made Harry’s mind up completely. He waited until Draco had rolled off him and lay down on the rug in front of the table before tugging his wedding ring off and tossing it onto the table beside him. He didn’t need or want it any longer.

 

*~*

 

There was a pile of fresh clothing and a cup of tea sitting on one of the chairs in the drawing room when Draco woke for the second time that day. His limbs were still heavy with the relaxation that followed an amazing orgasm, but he forced himself to get up and dressed. Finding himself grateful that Harry knew just how he took his tea, he was about to leave the room, but a glint of gold from out of the corner of his eye stopped him. Turning so he could get a better look, he realised that the clatter he had heard just before Harry had landed on him an hour or so before had been Harry’s wedding ring landing on the table.

 

His mind raced through the reasons Harry could have for removing the ring now, of all times, but he couldn’t come up with an explanation. He certainly hadn’t meant for him signing his divorce papers to be a statement of any kind; he had just wanted to know that he was free to be with Harry when the time came. Shaking his head, Draco glared at the ring, despising everything it stood for. He found himself tempted to simply cast a curse at it and ‘accidentally’ cause it to disappear from his life altogether, but he resisted. It was not his burden to take care of and if Harry wanted it to just sit there while he worked out what to do with it, then he would respect that wish. With another shake of his head, he made his way down through the house, listening to try to discover where Harry and Lily were. Although, apparently, he needn’t have worried about having to listen for them.

 

“Draco!” Lily rushed out of the set of stairs that led down into the kitchen and threw her arms around Draco's waist, almost spilling his tea all over herself. “Come on; Dad made bacon and eggs for breakfast.”

 

Smiling as he allowed himself to be dragged down the stairs into the kitchen, Draco shook his head. Lily was the only person he had ever met who could turn having breakfast into a big ordeal. He had time to raise an eyebrow at Harry when they entered the room before Lily spoke again.

 

“Here.” She pointed to a place set beside Harry at the long table and waited until Draco had taken his seat before continuing. “You know, orange juice is a lot healthier for you than tea.” Harry snorted with laughter next to him, then tried to turn it into a cough when Lily glared at him. “It’s true: Aunt Audrey says so.”

 

She turned from them then, leaving Draco free to poke Harry in the ribs. “Audrey?”

 

“Percy’s wife. She’s a bit of a health nut.” Harry’s voice was rough from the fake coughing fit and Draco smiled in response. “She was at the Burrow over the weekend while Lily was there. “

 

Draco would have questioned him further, but Lily chose that second to turn back and plant herself on the bench on the other side of the table. The large glass of orange juice she carried explained what she had been doing, but it also caused Draco to worry that she would want him to drink it instead of his tea. Harry let out another snort when Draco breathed a quiet sigh as Lily took a sip from the huge glass.

 

“So, what are we doing today?”

 

She glanced expectantly between the two of them, causing Draco's eyebrows to rise up into his hairline. It was Tuesday, which meant that Lily had school. There was no chance that Draco was going to disabuse her of the idea that Harry would suddenly forget that she had to go to school, however, so he quietly ignored the question and began to help himself to fried eggs, bacon and toast from the small piles in the middle of the table.

 

“Coward.” The word was whispered from next to him and Draco was certain that Lily hadn’t heard it. He grinned in response, but still made no move to correct Lily’s assumption. “I’m going to see your grandmother and I have no idea what Draco plans on doing today,” Harry continued in a much louder voice. “But _you_ , young lady, are going to school.”

 

“Oh, but _Dad_ …”

 

“No buts, Lily. You are going to school.”

 

“But I’m–”

 

“Nope, you’re not sick.”

 

“But–”

 

“That’s the only excuse I’ll accept for letting you off school today.”

 

“You _suck_.”

 

Lily stood up from the table and stomped out of the room, taking her juice with her. Draco risked glancing up as he heard the door at the top of the stairs slam.

 

“Go on, call me an arsehole.”

 

The defeated tone to Harry’s voice had Draco turning to face him properly. The guilty look he received in response had him smiling as he leant in to brush their lips together.

 

“You’re her Father, Harry; you have to be the voice of reason sometimes.”

 

He watched as Harry’s eyes slid closed and he took a deep breath. “Ginny was the one who always told the kids no when they wanted a day off school. She always said I was too soft on them.”

 

“You still are.” Draco shot Harry a smirk when he opened his eyes to glare at him. “Speaking of your insane ex, I have to make a decision on what I am going to charge her with so I can tell the lawyers tomorrow.”

 

He was still leaning towards the lesser charge of assault with a dangerous weapon, as he knew that that charge had the most chance of sticking. The night before, just before he fell asleep, he had toyed with the idea of asking for a life sentence, but Richardson’s warning that the court would most likely find in her favour was making that choice seem less and less appealing. All he really wanted at this point was for her to be imprisoned so he could move on with his life. The fact that that life now involved her husband in a very intimate way was a bonus that Draco had every intention of flaunting in front of her when he got the opportunity.

 

“Richardson recommended grievous bodily harm with a dangerous weapon, right? He said there wasn’t enough evidence for an attempted murder charge?” Harry sighed when Draco nodded silently. “As tempted as I am to tell you to go for the life sentence just in case they manage to pull it off, I think I just want it over and done with. A re-trial will take forever to set up, with everyone that they would have to organise.” Realisation dawned in Draco's mind at that: Harry had dealt with these courts many times over the course of his career, so he knew just what to expect from them. “If you combine grievous bodily harm with a dangerous weapon with the fraud and assault with intent to cause mental harm that they recommended that I charge her with, then the sentence is at least close to forty years, right? Then there’s whatever charge the Auror Corps is going to bring against her that will add years to the sentence as well. I know the Ministry lawyers well enough to know they will go for the largest sentence they can manage without causing a re-trial. When they are combined, the charges should add up to somewhere near sixty years.”

 

_Sixty years…_ He would be ninety seven years old by the time Ginevra was released. He was facing sixty full years with Harry before he had to worry about her interfering again. Draco smiled as a sense of relief washed through him. _Sixty years._

 

“I think I may have to stick with the lesser charge, in that case. The lawyers make it sound like a done deal and they haven’t steered me wrong in anything before.”

 

Harry nodded slowly before replying. “I’ll see Molly and Arthur today, so I’ll let them know.”

 

Draco frowned. “It’s as simple as that? You’re just going to accept that her sentence will be so long?”

 

Harry turned on the bench to face him properly, an incredibly serious look in his eyes. “Yes. I was feeling sorry for her for a while after we started this relationship, but the second she tried to harm someone other than me, she destroyed any sympathy I may have had for her. My wanting her to be in a prison with a mental health facility is as much compassion as I am capable of offering her after everything she’s pulled.”

 

Draco let out a breath, thankful that the kind of anger Harry was displaying – quiet, detached and absolutely terrifying – was no longer directed towards him. It was a sharp reminder that, no matter what his softer public image may indicate, Harry was one of, if not _the_ , most powerful wizard Draco had ever met. Raising a hand to trace between Harry’s eyes where a frown line had formed broke the tension that had built and Harry offered up a small smile.

 

“You’re everything I want, Draco. Go with whatever you want to charge her with; I’ll stand with you no matter what.”

 

The sound of Lily thumping down the stairs towards them caused Harry to pull away and Draco blinked in surprise. Knowing he didn’t have long before they were interrupted, he pulled Harry back in close and kissed him with all the force of the confusing emotions running through him.

 

“I love you, too.”


	39. Chapter 39

Butterflies rushed through Harry’s stomach as he made his way slowly up the path that led to the Burrow. Today was the day that he would inform Molly and Arthur about the charges being placed against Ginny and he had definitely not been looking forward to it. Adding onto his nerves was the fact that he had voluntarily removed his wedding ring only that morning. He knew that Molly at least would notice that it was missing, but he had no idea if it would become an issue between them. Shaking his head, he put the thoughts aside for the time being. Honestly, if Molly wanted there to be a problem between the two of them, then she would find one to exploit, he knew that as well as he knew his own name; their interactions over the past few months proved it. There was no point in him creating a problem where none currently existed.

 

His thoughts drifted back to that morning and he had to smile as a warm feeling spread through him. Lily had spent the past hour trying to convince him to allow her to have the day off school, but Harry had resisted, knowing that actually being with children her own age was good for her. Or, at least, he had mostly resisted. The memory of Draco sniggering next to him when he had finally caved and informed Lily she could have Friday off if she went without objection that day, tomorrow and Thursday warmed Harry much more than the thick coat he wore against the wind and rain. Giving her Friday wouldn’t mess with her studies too much he knew and it would probably be good for her to have that one day alone with them, since he was planning on having the boys home for at least the weekend. _Draco's right: I am a soft touch when it comes to the kids…_

 

“Harry!”

 

Dragged abruptly out of his thoughts, Harry’s head snapped up and he offered what he knew had to be a slightly sheepish smile at being caught daydreaming about Draco. “Good morning, Arthur. How are you?”

 

He still felt so formal and stiff when he was speaking to Arthur and Molly after everything that had happened. But, he figured, at least they _were_ speaking to him. There were so many people who would blame Ginny’s actions on him for the rest of his life and completely ignore the fact that she was just as in the wrong as he was, that he knew he was relatively lucky. Arthur returned his smile and stepped aside as Harry made his way to the front door.

 

“Quite well, all things considered. Molly is in the kitchen.”

 

Harry took a deep breath as he entered the house. The scent of _home_ washed over him, bringing years of good memories with it. Some of those memories were tainted now, what with his memories of Ginny all being spoiled by painful questions, but he pushed them aside. There was no point in putting himself in a foul mood before speaking to Molly and Arthur, especially considering what he was there to speak to them about. It was with a start of surprise that he turned the corner into the kitchen to discover that he was there alone with the two of them: not one of their children, grandchildren or in-laws were milling around as they usually were.

 

“Good morning, Molly,” Harry murmured as another, slightly stronger, rush of nerves hit him.

 

“Hello Harry.” Molly turned from the stove, where she had obviously just put the kettle on to boil. “Take a seat, the tea will be ready soon.”

 

Still feeling slightly awkward, Harry pulled a chair out and slowly sank into it. Without thinking, he moved his right hand to cover his left, automatically hiding the fact that his ring was no longer there. He watched Molly as she bustled around the kitchen, putting the dishes and pans back where they belonged. He knew that she usually did this with magic and, judging by her jerky movements, had to assume that she was doing it by hand this time due to nerves over this meeting. It relaxed him a little to realise that he wasn’t the only one nervous about his being there, but he did wish that he could do or say something to make everything slightly less uncomfortable. That something seemed to come in the form of Arthur for Molly, as she slowed down the second he entered the room and took a seat at the end of the kitchen table.

 

“Here we are.” She waved her wand and three cups soared out of the cupboard. “I’m afraid we’ve run out of chamomile,” she added with an apologetic smile to Harry.

 

“Oh, normal tea’s fine, thanks.”

 

It was with a small shock of disappointment that he recalled that for so many years, the second he sat at this very table, he had been plied with what had seemed like mountains of food. He shook the feeling away, however, as his cup of tea landed on the table in front of him and Molly took a seat next to Arthur.

 

“Do you… That is, have you found anything else out? Do you know what’s happening with the case?”

 

There was a slight tremble to Molly’s voice that confirmed Harry’s suspicions of her nerves. He hadn’t really expected her to raise the subject straight away as she had, but he understood wanting to get it out of the way as soon as possible. Closing his eyes, he took a slow sip of his tea before responding.

 

“I’ve spoken to the lawyers and so has Draco. They’ve presented us both with what we can charge her with, but Kingsley won’t tell me anything about the Auror’s case against her. Since I’m no longer in the Corps, I can’t tell you anything about their case.” He knew he was stalling, delaying the moment he would have to disappoint them again. Bracing himself for their reactions, he took a deep breath. “They told me I could charge her with both attempted fraud as well as attempted assault with intent to cause mental harm under the potions clause. Both because of her trying to use that love potion on me. Draco also went to see them yesterday. He’s been given two options: grievous bodily harm with a dangerous weapon is what he has been recommended he charge her with, but he also has the option of grievous bodily harm with intent.” Harry had to pause there, as Molly let out a sound very much like a sob and buried her face in her hands. “I’m sorry, Molly, I truly am.”

 

“How long?” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

 

“About forty years all up with the lesser charge. If Draco chooses to go for grievous bodily harm with intent, though, she could be facing life. That’s without whatever the Auror Corps will charge her with as well. I’d say the least she’s looking at is sixty years.”

 

The words came out of him in a rush, as he had wanted to simply get it over with. Now that he was speaking about it, there was no point in delaying, after all.

 

“Do you think…” It was Arthur who spoke this time, but he trailed off the second Harry met his eyes. Glancing over to Molly, Arthur placed a hand gently on her shoulder before clearing his throat and starting again. “Do you think she actually intended to murder him?”

 

Wrapping his hands tightly around his cup, Harry stared down into the steaming liquid for a few seconds, trying to come up with an answer that wouldn’t traumatise either of them. His head snapped up when Molly spoke up again, however.

 

“You were there, Harry. You know exactly what happened. Kingsley has refused to tell us and we’re not allowed to go in and ask Ginny herself just yet. You are the only person who can tell us what actually happened that night.”

 

The memory of that night flashed through Harry’s mind, bringing with it all the pain he still associated with it. However, the pain had nothing to do with Ginny any longer: it was all centred solely on the fact that he could have lost Draco forever that night. The only feelings left for Ginny and what she had done were a sense of wanting revenge. He would never act on it, he knew, but it was there all the same. The look of pure hatred that had crossed Ginny’s face in the seconds before she had cast the curse towards Draco told Harry everything he needed to know to answer the question truthfully, but he was unsure if Molly and Arthur would want to know that their only daughter had tried to murder someone. Glancing between the two of them, he tried to decide exactly how much to tell them, but the decision was taken out of his hands.

 

“We want the full truth, Harry,” Arthur murmured, meeting Harry’s eyes with determination. “Please don’t sugar-coat this.”

 

Closing his eyes briefly, Harry took a deep breath and nodded. “I obviously can’t say what she was thinking, but I’d say she knew what she was doing. She knew who she was casting at and knew what she was casting. I saw the line of sight she had and there was no chance she had mistaken Draco for someone else. The lawyers have said that there is very little evidence to prove that she intended to kill Draco with those spells, which is why they’re recommending that Draco try for grievous bodily harm with a dangerous weapon rather than with intent. It’s much more likely that she will be convicted of the lesser charge because of the lack of true evidence.”

 

The only sound in the room after Harry stopped speaking were Molly’s quiet sniffles. Harry hung his head over his teacup again, guilt flooding through his veins. No matter what had happened over the past two months, Molly was still the closest thing he had had to a Mother and his chest ached with a combination of guilt and regret at causing her pain.

 

“Thank you.”

 

Harry’s head snapped up again. “What?”

 

Arthur offered up a sad smile. “Thank you. As painful as it is, we needed to know.”

 

He stood then and started to make his way into the living room. Harry automatically followed, figuring that he was being silently informed that their meeting was over. He glanced back to Molly one last time before leaving the room to see her wiping her eyes with a handkerchief. Her eyes fell to his hand as he placed his empty teacup back on the table and it was obvious that she had seen his lack of ring. Harry opened his mouth, but she held a hand up to stop him. She gave him a watery smile and shook her head, obviously indicating that she was alright. He returned her smile as he exited into the living room.

 

“Someone always ends up in tears whenever we get together these days, Harry.”

 

Rubbing a hand along the back of his neck, Harry sighed. “I know and I really don’t mean for it to happen. I…” He shook his head. “Things will get better after everything’s settled down again.”

 

_They have to. I don’t think I could put up with living life like this permanently._

 

“I can only hope you’re right.”

 

Arthur clapped him on the back as he grabbed a pinch of floo powder. Harry nodded to him before he stepped through back into Grimmauld, finding himself quite thankful that the meeting was over.

 

*~*

 

Wednesday morning found Draco waking up in his bed at Malfoy Manor alone. He knew it was necessary if he wanted to be up early enough to pick the potions ingredients that he had spent so long growing, but it was a strange sensation. It was much easier for Harry to get Lily up and off to school if she started the day at Grimmauld, as she didn’t have the opportunity to get distracted by peacocks, or Astoria, or by simply exploring the Manor. Waking alone also, technically, meant that Draco had no opportunity to allow himself to become distracted by Harry’s presence. Although, he found that what was actually happening was that he was becoming distracted by Harry’s _absence_ rather than his presence.

 

He ran through the familiar motions of picking the ingredients on auto-pilot. He was so accustomed to the routine that he only really needed to properly concentrate for the difficult plants, the ones that required that he cut them in a particular way in order for them to be useful. Thankfully, there weren’t that many like that this time around, leaving him free to fantasise.

 

Drifting through his morning routine with thoughts of Harry crowding his mind, the time seemed to fly by. Of course, he knew that it was always easier to do something monotonous if his mind was occupied with something else and Harry was proving, once again, to be the perfect fantasy material. Draco was startled out of his thoughts by the sound of soft footsteps descending the stairs towards him.

 

“Take a seat, I’ll be there soon,” he murmured.

 

Silently cursing Astoria for interrupting him, Draco had to wonder exactly what it was that she could want with him this early in the morning. He was almost startled out of his skin when a pair of arms wrapped around his middle and a stubbly chin grazed against his neck.

 

“Do you dismiss everyone like that or am I a special case?”

 

Draco's breath shuddered through him as Harry’s lips brushed against his earlobe. The skin of his neck tingled where Harry’s breath had brushed past and he had to close his eyes to compose himself for a few seconds. He had not been expecting Harry this early and to have his fantasy of him interrupted by the real thing… He sighed softly.

 

“Oh, you’re a special case, Potter, just not in the way you want to be.”

 

He grinned when Harry let out what sounded very much like a growl in his ear. Draco tried to continue to slice the Venomous Tentacula leaf on the table in front of him, as he knew that it needed to be done by that afternoon or else it would be ruined, but Harry seemed to have other ideas. Moving on from rubbing his bristly chin against Draco's neck, he ran his lips across the back of Draco's neck, kissing and lightly sucking on his skin as he moved.

 

“Have I ever told you how fascinating your hands are?”

 

Draco couldn’t help the surprised snort of laughter that escaped him, thinking that Harry was joking. _Of all the ridiculous things to become fixated on!_

 

“No, seriously.” Harry slid his hands slowly down Draco's forearms and murmured a stasis charm over his work before grasping his wrists. “Look.”

 

Watching dubiously as Harry raised his hands, Draco focussed instead on the feeling of having Harry pressed so closely into his back. He was always so warm and solid that the sensation of having him so close never failed to send Draco's mind spinning with lust. Harry raised their entwined hands so Draco could see them clearly without having to duck his head.

 

“See the difference?” Dropping Draco's right hand, Harry held his own up against Draco's left in comparison. “They’re so elegant compared to mine…”

 

Draco stayed silent as Harry wriggled his fingers, joining their hands together. This kind of intimacy was still strange to him, after holding everyone at a distance for so long. He knew he was getting better at it, though, as he hadn’t felt the urge to push Harry away for a long time.

 

Harry didn’t leave their hands joined for long. Sliding his fingers slowly along Draco's hand, he trailed them down his wrist and hooked them under the cuff of his sleeve. His left hand left Draco's wrist and moved to wrap his arm around Draco's middle as he slowly pulled the sleeve upwards, revealing the scarred remains of the Dark Mark. It was impossible for Draco to prevent himself from stiffening: his spine straightened, his breathing became controlled and his stomach clenched. They had never yet made a single reference to this part of their shared history. Mostly, Draco figured, because it was poor form to remind his lover that he had once tried to trade him to a megalomaniacal killer in exchange for his family’s lives. The Mark itself had long since faded, only leaving an oddly-shaped scar that Draco always kept covered with long sleeves.

 

“Harry…”

 

“I’m sorry; I was curious. You’ve never really let me see it properly before.”

 

Draco let out a huff of a laugh. “I should think the reason behind that would be obvious.”

 

Harry’s only response was a soft hum as he dragged Draco's sleeve back down over the remains of the Mark. It seemed, however, that Draco's fingers and Mark weren’t the only things that fascinated Harry that morning. His hands trailed soft touches up and down Draco's body, pinching and stroking him through his clothing. Draco’s eyes slid closed automatically, allowing him to focus solely on the sensations Harry was sending through him. Little shocks of pleasure shot out from each spot Harry pinched or tweaked, each adding to the desire building inside him. Leaning back against Harry’s chest let Draco relax a little more and he could feel the slight tension that had entered his body slowly draining out to be replaced with yet more desire. It wasn’t until Harry pressed up against him properly, allowing him to feel his hard cock pressed against his arse, that Draco opened his eyes again.

 

“Turn around.”

 

Harry’s voice held so much command in it that Draco couldn’t help obeying. The level of desire in Harry’s eyes when Draco met them sent a shiver straight through him. Leaning forward, he captured Harry’s lips in a harsh kiss, biting down on his bottom lip until he opened for him. Harry tasted of chamomile tea again and Draco hummed in appreciation. Sliding his arms up and around Harry’s shoulders, he held him close as he felt his body reacting to the building levels of desire he was being assaulted with. He didn’t get to stay that way for long though, as Harry stepped back far enough to work his hand in-between them. Draco let out a soft moan and tried to pull back further as Harry’s fingers brushed against his hard cock, but was prevented by Harry’s free arm tightening around his waist.

 

“Stand still.”

 

Harry’s voice was rough, causing Draco to take a shaky breath. It didn’t escape him that Harry was throwing his own instructions from the day before back at him and he couldn’t help hoping that he wouldn’t be treated to the same kind of slow torture he had inflicted on Harry. As much as he liked giving that kind of pleasure, he had never truly liked being subjected to it himself. Thankfully, it seemed that Harry wasn’t of a mind to make him wait. Pressing close again as soon as he had freed Draco from his trousers, Harry circled both of their cocks in his lubed hand, stroking slowly. Draco's eyes closed again and he let his head fall forward onto Harry’s shoulder.

 

“Good?”

 

“Mmmnn…” Draco tried to scowl when Harry laughed at his incoherent response. “Faster.”

 

He spread his legs a little to make up for his slight height advantage as Harry complied. It still wasn’t fast enough for Draco's liking and he pressed closer, his fingers curling to grip onto Harry’s shoulders.

 

“Faster.”

 

“Patience is a virtue.”

 

Draco growled. “I’m _not_ a virtuous man, Potter–”

 

He would have gone on, but Harry twisted his hand at that point, stealing his breath away. Still trying to speak as Harry’s hand stroked him, all Draco could really manage for the next few breaths was a series of huffs and groans as the tension slowly built inside him. His cock slid against Harry’s as Harry rocked forward and Draco gasped. It wasn’t enough and it was so _frustrating_. He needed more, he needed…

 

“Harry, please–”

 

Harry squeezed his hand, changing Draco's words to a groan. Leaning closer still, Draco rocked his hips, continuing the slide of their cocks together. The extra stimulation more than made up for the slower pace and he continued, pushing himself further on towards orgasm. Mercifully, it didn’t take Harry long to join him and Draco's head swam with desire when he finally increased his pace.

 

“Draco,” Harry whispered, drawing the vowels out slowly.

 

Groaning in response earned Draco a deep chuckle that vibrated through his chest. With the amount of desire rushing through him, he was beginning to not care what he sounded like, as long as he found some form of satisfaction soon. Forcing himself to raise his head from Harry’s shoulder, he pulled back far enough so he could slide his tongue into Harry’s mouth. The kiss was clumsy, with their noses bumping and Harry’s glasses pressing painfully into Draco's cheekbones, but he found he couldn’t care. It was one more point of stimulation he was receiving and that was all that mattered.

 

It wasn’t long before Harry was leaning too close, pressing Draco's arse into the edge of the table behind him. His hand was beginning to falter every now and then and little moans were escaping him with each breath. Draco broke the kiss and leant back, exposing his throat to Harry’s teeth. Harry took the invitation, biting down hard on Draco's collarbone.

 

“ _Fuck_ , Harry…. I – I…”

 

Draco's words faltered again as his stomach muscles clenched. He was so close, so very close… Forcibly unwrapping one arm from Harry’s shoulders, he slid it down so he could massage his swollen sac. His hips bucked, his breath came in short gasps and his muscles spasmed, forcing his orgasm out of him in hot spurts. Draco's mind went blank as he felt Harry tipping over the edge with him a few seconds later, groaning something that may have been Draco's name. They both slid to the floor in a sticky, panting mess when Harry’s legs gave way.

 

“Good morning.”

 

Draco smiled at the breathless sound of Harry’s voice. “It certainly is.”


	40. Chapter 40

Following the sound of slightly panicked-sounding shrieks coming from somewhere in the Manor grounds, Draco's nerves jumped. He had been wary of having all four children stay at the Manor the entire weekend, but Harry had dismissed his worries, stating matter-of-factly that they would get used to each other. If he had to be honest, then right at that moment, it sounded more like someone was being murdered in his backyard than anything else. The shrieks he could hear weren’t high-pitched enough to be Lily’s, but that was all the information he could garner from the noise alone. His steps lengthened as he followed the path that led down past his two greenhouses towards the peacock enclosure. He took a deep breath as he rounded the corner into an open area, hoping that there had been no bloodshed.

“Finally! Dad, grab a broom and come play.”

Draco blinked in astonishment at the sight before him. Scorpius had obviously broken into the shed that they kept the Quidditch equipment in and had distributed it between himself, Albus and James. Lily was sitting off to the side, looking grumpy, clearly having been left out of the fun. He cleared his throat before responding.

“Where did you get those brooms?”

“In the shed,” Scorpius responded, sounding as though he thought Draco had suddenly lost all sense. “You never tell me no and James said his Uncle George taught him to pick the lock the Muggle way, so we’ve been playing. But we’re uneven. We need a fourth.”

A dramatic sigh from the sidelines had Draco struggling not to smile. As girly as she was at times, Draco got the feeling that Lily was under the impression she could kick all three of the boy’s arses, given the chance. A quick glance over to where James stood just behind Albus told Draco everything he needed to know. James was not going to hide the fact that he had been the one to break into the shed and was staring Draco down with a defiant look in his eyes that Draco had only ever seen on Harry before that. Having come prepared, just in case, he turned towards Lily.

“Lily–”

“But she’s a girl!”

Draco turned a raised eyebrow to Albus, shutting him up quite effectively. He cleared his throat as he turned back to Lily. “Lily, here’s the key to the peacock enclosure. Please try not to let them out.”

The smile Lily offered up was bright enough to light up the entire Manor if it had any power behind it. She stood and raced over to him, throwing her arms around his middle before grabbing the key.

“Thank you!”

Draco watched her go before returning his attention to the boys. Scorpius was grinning at him, Albus looked slightly shamed, but James was now feigning disinterest. It had always been obvious to Draco that James would be the difficult one out of all four of their children, but perhaps Quidditch could be some kind of common ground? He knew he had to at least try to get to know the young man, if his relationship with Harry was to last. Or, at the very least, strike a truce where James wasn’t always hostile towards him. Returning his attention to Scorpius, Draco allowed himself to smile.

“You require a fourth?”

“You play?”

It was Albus who had voiced the question and Draco tilted his head to the side, considering how to respond. ‘I was on the school team because your Father has the finest arse I have ever seen’ was obviously an inappropriate response, but it was so close to the truth that Draco was hard-pressed to come up with another answer.

“Yeah, of course he does! Dad was the Slytherin Seeker at Hogwarts, just like I’m going to be.”

“I play a little,” Draco amended. There was absolutely no point in claiming to be good any longer as, for years now, his only opponent had been Scorpius. “It’s been a while since I had anyone to play against other than Scorp here, though.”

Scorpius was still grinning at him as Draco moved over to collect a spare broom from the shed. It was entirely possible that he would wind up regretting agreeing to this, as it had been such a long time since he had had any kind of real physical challenge, but why should he turn it down? This was an opportunity to both get to know Albus and James, as well as to maybe prove to James that he wasn’t quite as bad as had been made out. He would be a fool to pass up an opportunity like this when it was being offered by the children in question rather than being forced on them by him and Harry.

“Alright then; Potter versus Malfoy. Let’s go!”

Draco cocked an eyebrow at Scorpius, but said nothing. All three boys jumped on their brooms and began zooming around the clearing, which was a little smaller than a regulation size Quidditch pitch. Mounting his broom and kicking off into the sky, Draco smiled. The last time he had flown against anyone other than Scorpius had been a pickup game against Blaise years ago before they had both been distracted by having families and jobs and adult lives. Closing his eyes as the cold air whipped against his face, Draco found himself relaxing completely. The freedom of flying was something he truly missed from his youth and the times he played against Scorp were some of the best memories he had. If he was lucky enough, maybe playing against Harry’s sons would be added to those memories.

“C’mon, Al! Grab the Quaffle and let’s play.”

Draco's eyes flew open to realise that Scorpius was floating just in front of him with James and Albus on the opposite end of the field, obviously having assumed that the goals were behind them and Draco. He hung back for the first few plays, seeing what kind of game the boys were playing and was thankful that they seemed to not be playing as rough as he and Blaise had in pickup games. Scorpius shot him a few looks before he swooped in to catch the Quaffle before it hit the ground.

“About time,” Scorpius muttered to him as he flew up behind. “They’re not delicate, Dad; you’re not going to hurt them. Just play, it’ll be fine.”

Rolling his eyes, Draco had to wonder when Scorpius had turned into Astoria. Her habit of giving unwanted advice seemed to have rubbed off on their son over the years. He shook his head and dove into the game. He could wonder about Astoria and Scorpius when he was on flat ground again.

It turned out that both James and Albus were quite good fliers. James’ technique was much better suited to a Quidditch player and Draco had no doubt that he would make the Gryffindor team. He flew with the kind of precision Harry had back in school when Draco had been convinced that in order to be a better flier, all he needed was a better broom. Draco himself had had the reflexes of a Seeker, but Harry had had the raw, natural talent. As much as it pained him to admit, so did the Weaselette. It seemed to him that James had inherited the best parts of both his parent’s talents and would turn out to be a brilliant player. Albus, while a good flier, didn’t have the same kind of eye or talent as his brother. Draco would have given him a Beater’s bat and allowed him free rein if he had been the one to place him on a team. Beaters required neither the reflexes of a Seeker nor the coordination of a Keeper or Chaser; the only requirement was the ability to fly and swing the bat.

Swooping around the field, ducking under outstretched arms, tossing the Quaffle to Scorpius and trying to catch it mid-toss between Albus and James was so much more entertaining than Draco could have expected it to be. He landed mid-session to rid himself of his robes, stripping down to his white shirt, black vest and black trousers. Of course, he kept a close eye on each of the boys to make sure none of them got too rough. Albus seemed to get frustrated quickly, as both Scorpius and James were better players than he was and Draco unconsciously pulled his own game back a little to adjust. He let shots get through, allowed Albus to outfly him occasionally and even dropped the Quaffle once on a particularly hard catch that allowed Albus to score against them. Scorpius shot him a _look_ at that one, but Draco merely shrugged in response. As much as he loved to win, he knew that getting along with these two boys was so much more important than his own desire to win a game.

James and Scorpius took most of the game into their own hands, flying around Draco and Albus as though they had been born in the air. It seemed to slip Draco's mind that he was playing three boys who were yet to reach their teenage years, as there was quite a few times when they outplayed him without his allowing it.

Scorpius zoomed down and under Draco, throwing the Quaffle over his shoulder for him to catch and toss towards the goal. The cheer Scorpius let out when Draco scored had Draco grinning and James and Albus cheerfully yelling taunts at Scorpius. Draco had yet to be included in their teasing, so it was with quite a bit of shock that he heard James informing him that at his age he really should be wearing glasses to see the Quaffle better. Scorpius nearly fell of his broom laughing at that one and the game slowed for a few seconds, but it picked up again soon.

Albus retrieved the Quaffle and restarted the game, throwing it to James almost straight away. James was riding one of the faster brooms Draco owned and that made it a little difficult to follow him if you were moving yourself. Slowing down to an almost stop, Draco watched as Scorpius chased James around the field. Both boys were laughing as they sped around the field, completely ignoring Draco and Albus. Catching Albus’ eye, Draco raised an eyebrow and Albus shrugged. Deciding to let Scorpius and James have their fun, Draco floated down closer to the ground, simply watching them play. Albus copied him, landing on the ground near where Draco hovered.

“Did you play against Dad like this?”

Draco shook his head, his eyes still on the two above him. “We played against each other, but on the school teams only.”

“You never snuck out of the dorms to play?”

That grabbed Draco's attention. Floating down to the ground near Albus, Draco leant on his broom so he could catch his breath.

“Not to play Quidditch, no.” Realising just how that sounded, Draco quickly cleared his throat and tried again. “We were in different Houses, so most of my sneaking out was done with my friends Pansy and Blaise. We went to the kitchens and up to the Astronomy Tower and sometimes, as much as I hate to admit it, to the library to study when we got desperate.”

Albus eyed him sceptically. “You snuck out of the Slytherin dorm to go _study_?”

“Thinking of trying to sneak out yourself?”

“I – er–”

Albus ducked his head, a blush spreading across his cheeks. It was more telling to Draco than if Albus had actually admitted to sneaking out.

“Your Father snuck out a lot as well, you know. So did your Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron and probably your Uncle George as well.” He could see Albus watching him from beneath his eyelashes and had to wonder what he had been up to. “As long as you’re not doing anything dangerous like your Father did, I don’t really see a problem.”

“Hagrid had to get rid of Fluffy and Norbert, so I don’t think I could get into the same kind of trouble Dad did.”

Draco grinned, unable to prevent it. He was about to respond when a shriek from above them distracted him. He had the broom mounted and was on his way in the direction of the sound before he had even registered that one of the boys was in trouble. Reaching out, he grabbed an armful of child as one of the brooms careened towards him. Holding the boy close, he guided them both down to the ground, landing slightly harder than he knew he should have.

“James!”

Albus rushed up to them as Draco released his death grip on James, but kept hold of his arm in case. Draco's heart was thudding in his ears loud enough that he thought it lucky that he had even heard Albus’ shriek, but he kept his focus on James. Running his eyes over him told him there were no immediate injuries that needed attention.

“James, look at me.” Lighting the tip of his wand, Draco shone the light in James’ eyes, checking to see if he was going into shock. “What happened?”

“I ran into him.” Scorpius’ voice was laden with guilt as he trudged up to them, splattering mud around him as he stomped. “I couldn’t get out of the way in time. I’m sorry, James, I didn’t mean it.”

“It’s alright, I’m fine.”

Draco raised an eyebrow. “You’re sure? Nothing hurts? You’re not dizzy or short of breath or–”

“Whoa, whoa,” James held up his free hand – Draco still held his other arm – and smiled. “I’m sure. I’ll even stand still for a diagnostic spell if you want.”

Narrowing his eyes, Draco cast the charm. The results proved that James was telling the truth: aside from the normal reactions to having been playing Quidditch for a while, he was perfectly healthy. It looked to Draco that the only one there who was having a poor reaction to this experience was himself. Forcibly unclenching his hand from James’ sleeve, he took a deep breath and nodded.

“Maybe we should call it a day.”

Draco stood on the field watching as the boys tramped up the muddy slope towards the shed, his heart still racing and hands trembling. That had been so close to becoming yet another trip to St. Mungo’s and not one of the boys looked in the least bit concerned, but Draco felt as though he was about ready to collapse. Forcing his legs into motion, he followed along behind them, taking deep breaths in order to calm his racing heart.

“Grab Lily on your way back, boys.”

Draco clenched his hands in an attempt to stop them from trembling as he heard an affirmative response from somewhere near the peacock enclosure. Unable to hold it in any longer, he leant his forehead against the cool metal of the shed and allowed his breath to shudder through him. It would be just his luck that, the day before the trial was to start, he would get one of Harry’s kids injured in a stupid backyard Quidditch game. He jumped when a pair of arms circled around his shoulders and pulled him into an embrace.

“Harry.” Draco's insides trembled as Harry simply held him. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. There’s nothing you could have done other than catch him. The only way a crash like that would have affected him would be if he managed to break the broom; he tends to not care that much about getting hurt himself.”

Circling his arms around Harry’s waist, Draco smiled. “I wonder where he gets that attitude from.”

Harry’s laugh rumbled through him, warm and low. Pressed up against the shed with the cold metal behind him and Harry’s warmth in front of him, Draco slowly began to relax again. Harry was right: it was fine. James hadn’t been injured; hadn’t even been scared by the experience. In fact, Draco was the only one worrying about it.

“Have I ever mentioned how hot you are covered in mud, by the way?”

Letting his head fall back against the shed, Draco shoved Harry away from him and attempted a glare, despite the relieved laughter that spilled from him. “For God’s sake, Potter, do you think of nothing else?”

“Why should I?”

The look Harry shot him had Draco shaking his head. That look stated Harry’s thoughts at that moment very clearly.

“I’ve created a monster.”

Harry’s laugh followed him into the shed as he replaced the brooms and equipment.

*~*

“Alright you three, bedtime!”

James and Albus groaned, but Lily blinked up at Harry, telling him that she had nearly been asleep in front of the fire anyway. The clock had just struck nine, which he considered more than late enough for the kids to be getting off to bed, especially when they had a big day ahead of them. Bending down so Lily could loop her arms around his neck, Harry smiled.

“Yes, you have to. Tomorrow is going to be a big day and if you want to be able to see everything that happens, then you’ll have to get a good night’s sleep first.” He stood by the fire and watched as the boys packed up the exploding snap game. “I’ll go put your sister to bed and come into both of your rooms in a few minutes. I expect you both to be in your pyjamas and in bed when I get there, understood?”

He smiled when they both mumbled agreement. He made his way slowly up the stairs with Lily in his arms, giving the boys time to get changed and muck around with whatever they wanted to for a few minutes. Lily awoke just as he was tucking her into the bed in her newly-furnished bedroom. Harry sat down on the edge of her bed and tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear.

“I can see Mum tomorrow?”

Harry had been unable to convince the guards to allow him to bring the kids in to see Ginny that weekend. While it would have been good for them to see her before the trial started in the morning, Harry had to admit that he was relieved that he hadn’t had to see her.

“You will, yes,” he replied cautiously, unsure if she realised what exactly was going to happen during the trial. “You do know that she won’t be able to stay with you for long, right? The guards will want to take her to the courtroom as soon as possible.”

Lily sighed. “I know… Dad?” She glanced away then back to him, determination clear in her eyes. “I know that she’s done some really bad stuff. I don’t like that she hurt Draco. I know that she’s going to prison or to a mental health place; even Grandma says that. But I…”

She trailed off, worry creasing her forehead. Harry smiled.

“It’s alright to still love her, Lil. She’s your Mother and no one can take that away.” The worry cleared from Lily’s face in a matter of seconds and she seemed to relax, smiling sleepily up at Harry again. “Goodnight, love.”

He bent to place a soft kiss on her forehead, then moved out of the room, extinguishing the lights and leaving the door ajar. Albus’ room was next down the hallway. He was sitting on the edge of his bed, flipping through a Muggle comic book Harry had bought him the other day.

“Come on, Al, into bed with you.”

“Can I read in bed for a little while?” The hopeful look Al shot him had Harry smiling again. “It won’t be for long I swear.”

“You sure you’re not tired?”

Al sighed. “I should be, I know that. I’m not excited about tomorrow, but I don’t think I could sleep just yet, either.”

Harry nodded and settled down on the edge of Al’s bed as he climbed in. “I do understand that feeling. Unfortunately, there’s really nothing I can say that will make it any better. Just promise me you won’t stay up too late, alright?”

“Yeah, Dad, I promise.”

Harry scrubbed a hand through Al’s hair before placing a kiss on his forehead as well. He knew there was really no point in trying to force Al into trying to sleep. He clearly remembered not being able to sleep the night before each of the trials he had spoken at after the War and nothing being able to calm his nerves. He took a deep breath before entering James’ room.

“James?” Harry found him standing fully dressed before the window that looked out over the Manor grounds. “Those are funny-looking pyjamas.”

“You’re hilarious.”

“I like to think so, yes.” Harry collapsed down onto a soft chair that sat against the far wall and stretched his legs out in front of him. “How are you Jamie?”

“You’re not going to yell at me for not getting changed yet?”

Harry shrugged. “Would it have any effect if I did?”

James shot him a defiant look. “No.”

“There you go then.”

Harry sat in silence, waiting James out. He knew using this tactic on his own child was completely unfair and probably a little unnecessary, but James had been the difficult one since day one. If there was something he wanted to say, it was most likely that he wasn’t just going to come out and say it. No, just like Harry, he would let it stew until he exploded, most likely at a completely inappropriate person. James sighed after a few minutes and turned to face him, his arms crossed across his chest.

“You want to know what happened today, is that it?”

Harry shook his head. “No, I was watching the whole thing. It was an accident.”

“I meant you want to know why I didn’t yell at him.”

“I assume you and Scorpius are friends. You certainly look it.”

“Are you being thick on purpose?”

_That I certainly am._ “Excuse me, young man?” Harry raised an eyebrow for effect.

“Are you being thick on purpose, _Sir_?”

Unable to help it, Harry snorted with laughter. James truly did remind him of himself at that age with the added – slightly horrifying as his Father – bonus of not having any kind of national expectation reeling in his actions. James really did not care what people like Rita Skeeter wrote about him and seemed to make an effort to make a spectacle of himself whenever he could. Sitting back in his chair, Harry grinned at James, who reluctantly smiled back.

“Maybe Draco's not as bad as you had been thinking?”

James sighed, the smile leaving his face. “This,” he swept his hand around the room in a circle. “This is all really nice. Much better than Grimmauld; not that that’s difficult. I get that he’s making an effort and I get that you want me to like him.”

“But?”

James shrugged. “It’s weird being here and not having Mum around. I miss it being just us.”

Harry nodded. “That’s understandable. You’ll get to see her tomorrow before the trial starts, then your Uncle Percy will take you and your brother and sister back to the Burrow.” He stood and scrubbed a hand through his hair, no doubt making it stand on end again. “Can you just please try? I love him, Jamie, and it would mean a lot to me if you two could get along.”

James rolled his eyes. “I know, Dad.”

Figuring that was probably the best response he could hope for, Harry smiled. “Try not to stay up too late, alright?”

“I won’t.”

Harry closed the door behind him and glanced down the hall. The sight of Draco watching him from the bottom of the stairs that led up to the suites caused him to grin. Harry moved off towards Draco, his eyes eagerly devouring the sight of him in a form-fitting black vest that he had yet to see him wear before.

“Bed?” Draco raised an eyebrow, his smile coming as close to a leer as Harry had seen yet. It caused Harry’s blood to quicken in his veins. “Or is it too early?”

“I’m not tired, but you’re coming to bed right now. I’m sure you can find ways to exhaust me.”


	41. Chapter 41

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to let you all know, since we have no real idea of how the wizarding courtrooms work, I've made it all up :)

The Ministry elevator jerked to a stop on the tenth level, causing Draco to almost stumble. He took a deep breath and paused to straighten his black formal robes before offering his arm to Astoria. She took it, but also shot him a concerned look that told him he wasn’t about to get away with simply not speaking that morning. His boot heels clicked on the black tiled floor as he led her through the dark corridor towards the courtroom. He knew Ginevra’s trial was going to be a huge deal with both the press and the public and it had him strung so tightly his nerves felt as though they were about to snap.

 

Having Scorpius home for the weekend appeared to have soothed a lot of Draco's nerves, but Astoria had escorted their son back to Hogwarts that morning, leaving Draco with nothing to distract him from his anxieties. Harry had taken his kids off to the Burrow early that morning so they could arrive at the courtroom with their grandparents, so Draco also had no idea how Harry was doing at that point.

 

He had woken at his usual early time, but had been unable to focus on even his regular routine without his hands shaking or his mind wandering to what Harry was doing at that exact moment. All he knew for sure was that all three of Harry’s children were going to be there to speak to their Mother that morning, then they were to be taken back to the Burrow before the trial started. Whether Harry himself was going to be present at that meeting had been playing on Draco's mind all morning, although why it was bothering him was beyond him.

 

_Maybe because the last time they were in the same room together, she tried to use a love potion on him? Maybe because you wouldn’t put it past her to try again?_

 

“Draco?”

 

Gratefully dragged out of his thoughts, Draco turned his attention to Astoria. The second he met her eyes, though, she sighed and pulled him to a stop, moving to stand in front of him with her hands placed softly on his shoulders.

 

“I have never seen you this scared before.”

 

Draco blinked as a strong rush of affection for her almost overwhelmed him. He could wish that she had chosen a more appropriate place to confront him about this, but the fact that she could tell just how terrified he was despite his strongest Occlumency shields being up caused spots of colour to rise on his cheeks. He ducked his head, hiding his reaction from her.

 

“You didn’t know me in sixth year.”

 

“Oh, honey. By all accounts, you were a complete bastard in your sixth year. If I’d known you then, I may not have married you.”

 

This drew a genuine smile from Draco and he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into a quick embrace. “You are such a comfort, Tori. Thank you.”

 

Stepping back from him so she could run her hands over his robes, Astoria eyed him critically. “I need to visit the ladies’ room, but I need you to promise me not to spontaneously combust on me before I get back, alright?”

 

Draco unbent enough to smile at her without the cover of her hair hiding him from the rest of the world. “I believe I can manage to survive without you for five minutes.”

 

The look she shot him told him she was sceptical of that statement, but she left him anyway. Moving to the end of the corridor, Draco paused just before turning the corner that led to the courtroom itself. Taking a deep breath and closing his eyes, he rebuilt his Occlumency shields, making absolutely certain that no one would be able to see anything he did not want them to see. The sound of Harry’s laugh dragged him back to reality. Low and warm, it was so familiar and reassuring to Draco that it almost undid all the focus he had regained. Reopening his eyes, he took a step forward and glanced around the corner.

 

What he saw froze his blood in his veins. Harry was standing near the doorway to the courtroom with Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan. Thomas had his hand on Harry’s shoulder and they were both laughing as Finnegan gesticulated, obviously telling some wild tale. This was certainly _not_ what he needed to see when thoughts of Harry with the Weaselette had been running through his mind all morning. Thomas and Finnegan’s relationship had made the front page of the _Daily Prophet_ for months after the end of the War, with Rita Skeeter declaring to the world that Dumbledore’s Army had been nothing more than a bunch of sex-crazed teenagers. Draco had dismissed her claims at the time, but he was apparently more than willing to believe it now, if the jealousy clawing at his chest was anything to go by. Harry looked so relaxed and so happy in their company that in his current state of mind, it had Draco second-guessing almost every aspect of their relationship.

 

Clenching his hands into fists by his side and taking steady, controlled breaths, Draco told himself he was being ridiculous. Harry had a lot of friends and he was as open and honest with each of them now as he had always been. The fact that two of those friends just happened to be quite good-looking _and_ interested in men shouldn’t affect Draco in any way. It did, however, and that knowledge loaded him with guilt on top of the jealousy. He almost jumped in surprise when Harry turned and spotted him. Instead of calling him over, Harry bid farewell to Thomas and Finnegan and trotted over to Draco, which he found himself grateful for, as he was unsure if he could fake politeness at that point.

 

“Come with me.”

 

Harry grabbed Draco's hand and spun him around, dragging him towards an open door. It appeared as though the room Harry pulled him into was deserted, but that wasn’t what Draco focussed on. Wrapping his arms around Harry’s waist, he pulled him close to his chest, inhaling the scent of his hair. Harry hummed in response and pressed as close as he could get. Draco knew he was being stupid; knew that Harry was loyal and would never cheat on him. He was doing him a disservice by allowing himself to succumb to such a petty feeling and the fact that he knew it was making everything worse. Draco smiled when he felt Harry’s fingers threading through his hair.

 

“Relax.”

 

“What?”

 

Draco gasped as Harry pulled back and sealed their lips together. The kiss was soft and slow, drawing Draco in much more effectively than it would have if it had held the kind of passion he associated with Harry. Tightening the grip he had around Harry’s waist, he surrendered to the sensations Harry was sending through him. Untangling one of his hands from Draco's hair, Harry slid it slowly downwards, trailing it across Draco's shoulder blades. The shiver it produced had Harry chuckling. Draco smiled in response as he broke the kiss.

 

“That’s much better.”

 

Watching the spread of warmth through Harry’s eyes as he met them, Draco knew he couldn’t burden him with his idiotic jealousy. It was a ridiculous emotion without foundation and Draco could and would deal with it on his own; Harry had enough on his own plate at that moment.

 

“You dragged me in here–”

 

“Because I can, pretty much. With all the press here and the public about to interfere with your private life, I knew you’d be stressed. It’s just a bonus for me that one of the easiest ways of getting you to relax involves me being pressed up against you.”

 

Draco chose to hide his reaction to Harry’s words with the raise of an eyebrow and it caused Harry to grin at him. “And you expect me to believe that you are not nervous about this trial as well?”

 

“Of course not. You’ve seen how worried I am that she’ll somehow manage to get off on a technicality. Having a few moments of privacy before the press gets hold of us does help, but…” He paused and leant forward to touch his forehead to Draco's. “I just want this over and done with.”

 

Adjusting his grip on Harry’s waist, Draco simply held him for a few seconds. He _did_ know how nervous Harry was about this trial; it was one of the reasons he had only voiced his concerns once about having all four of the children at the Manor that weekend. If this little moment of peace before the insanity of a public trial would help to relieve any of that anxiety, then there was no way Draco was going to destroy that. He allowed a small smile to touch his lips when Harry pulled back with a soft sigh.

 

“As much as I would love to stay here all day, we have a trial to attend.”

 

Cold air assaulted Draco as Harry stepped back from him. Taking a deep breath to compose himself had Harry grinning again, although why was beyond Draco.

 

“Lead on.”

 

*~*

 

Courtroom ten was completely full. Every single member of the Wizengamot had apparently decided to make an appearance as well as a number of Ministry officials, all the Weasleys who could swing a few days off work, quite a few friends and distant family members and – most horrifying of all to Harry – Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. He knew he should have realised that they would be there since it was their son who had been attacked, but the fact of their existence had completely slipped his mind. He let out a small breath when Narcissa made her way over the second he and Draco entered the courtroom.

 

“Draco darling, how are you?” She leant in to brush her cheek against Draco's before turning and inclining her head to Harry. “Mr. Potter.”

 

“Harry, please.” He could hear the nerves in his voice and cleared his throat in an attempt to control them. “I hope you’ve been well.”

 

“Perfectly so, thank you.”

 

The moments that followed as Draco made small talk with her would have made Harry laugh in any other circumstance, but now he just felt awkward. It was with a large amount of relief that he felt a small hand on his shoulder and turned to see Astoria smiling up at him. He moved aside so she could squeeze in front of him and join Draco in speaking to Narcissa. Feeling as though it wouldn’t be too impolite to move on, Harry ran a hand down Draco's arm and gave him a smile before slipping past him and searching out the Weasleys.

 

The courtroom hadn’t changed at all since the last time Harry had been in there: a number of torches cast flickering lights on the black stone walls, the benches for the Wizengamot loomed threateningly in front of him with two smaller sets of benches running along the side walls, and the chained chair still sat in the centre of the room. Turning from the chair, Harry climbed the stairs of the set of benches to his right. Arthur was shooting suspicious glances over Harry’s head as he moved to stand at the end of the row they had commandeered in the stands. He had to resist the urge to turn and see who Arthur was looking at, as he had the feeling that he would be met with a sneering Lucius Malfoy. There was no point in setting Lucius off-side without even speaking to him. Glancing down the row, Harry felt surprise rush through him when he saw Ron sitting between Hermione and George. It had been a fortnight since Harry had spoken to Ron at Fortescue’s, and he couldn’t help thinking that maybe if he could speak to him now, he would start coming around.

 

“Percy has taken the children back to the Burrow and Audrey will stay with them until we all return.”

 

Harry blinked and turned his attention to Molly. “Thanks for organising that. I didn’t think it would have been legal for me to see Ginny before the trial began and they were all looking forward to seeing her again.”

 

Molly nodded and appeared to be about to say something else when the guards posted at the doors snapped to attention. Harry knew this to be the signal that the trial was about to start and his stomach flipped with nerves. Smiling a farewell to Molly, he moved down to the appointed area for the plaintiff, just beside his lawyers.

 

Draco joined him a few seconds later, to the obvious fascination of the few members of the press who had been allowed into the courtroom. Harry could sense the tension running through Draco, despite the emotionless mask he was presenting to the world, but was a little stumped as to what to do about it, if anything. Surreptitiously sliding his hand down below the level of the bannister in front of them so no one could see what he was doing, Harry slowly traced his fingers over Draco's. He was gratified to feel Draco's fingers lacing through his, but made no reaction because he knew they were being watched.

 

The trial began as all the other official trials Harry had attended had: with the entrance of the Minister for Magic, the Senior Undersecretary, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and the Chief Warlock. Harry took a deep breath as they took their seats in front of the Wizengamot and was surprised to feel Draco squeeze his fingers. He was about to glance over to see if Draco had made any other reaction, but his attention was grabbed by the Senior Undersecretary.

 

“I call this trail of 30th October, 2017 to order. Bring the defendant in.”

 

Having spoken to Kingsley, Harry knew that it was unlikely that the trial would be overly long: not even the Death Eater trials had taken more than a few hours. Of course, the Death Eater trials from the second War had taken a few hours longer than the ones from the first War, as Kingsley had insisted that each of the defendants have representation.

 

The entire courtroom turned to watch as Ginny was led in. Her hands were magically bound in front of her and she was being escorted by two burly Aurors, one on each arm. To Harry, she appeared to be incredibly calm, considering what she was about to be tried for. Harry shivered as a chill ran down his spine. If Ginny could be so calm when she was facing so many charges, maybe she had something up her sleeve. Was there something Harry’s lawyers had missed that she could exploit? A slight murmured went up around the room when the chains on the chair clanked and secured themselves around Ginny’s wrists and ankles, but the room fell silent when Beatrice Haven, the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, stood.

 

“Ginevra Molly Potter, nee Weasley. You stand accused today of a number of serious charges. Attempted fraud, attempted assault with intent to cause mental harm, grievous bodily harm with a dangerous weapon, resisting arrest, attempted assault on an Auror, and taking an Auror’s wand. How do you plea?”

 

A tall, thin man with mousy brown hair and forgettable features stood from the stands behind Ginny, offering up a bland smile. “Not guilty on grounds of mental impairment to all charges.”

 

Harry nodded. He had known that Ginny could try to get off on an insanity plea, but had been unsure if she would have been willing. It was still a good chance that the lawyers had had to convince her to take this route, because Harry knew for a fact that Ginny would never consider herself to be mentally ill. The only real question he had left was how they would try to plead that she had been suffering from a mental illness the entire time. Harry was certain that there was something that needed treating now, but he had serious doubts that she had had the same kind of illness when this had first started. Surely he would have noticed if his own wife had wanted to injure him in the way she had tried to after their breakup, right? He jumped when the Chief Warlock spoke again, causing Draco to squeeze his fingers again.

 

“This trial has the most amount of interested parties since the Death Eater trials in 1998. Due to the potential length of the case, I have deemed it necessary to combine all three cases into one. Mr. Potter shall present his case, followed by Mr. Malfoy, with the representatives of the Auror Department to testify last. Barrister Edwards, you shall have the opportunity to cross-examine each witness after they have testified. My hope is that, by doing it this way, it will cut down on any unnecessary testimony and accusations. Barrister Richardson, you have first witness.”

 

Garrett Richardson stood at Harry’s left and made his way down to stand just in front of the Wizengamot’s benches. “The prosecution would like to call Harry James Potter to the stand.”

 

A small buzz of whispering followed this announcement, but Harry ignored it. The witness box faced the accused, but Richardson was blocking Harry’s view of Ginny as he sat in the box. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, he knew he was probably as prepared as he could get for this testimony.

 

“Mr. Potter, you have been married to Ginevra Potter for the past sixteen years, is that correct?”

 

“Together for nineteen years and married for sixteen, yes.”

 

“Were they happy years together?”

 

Harry kept eye contact with Richardson, not wanting to see either Draco or Ginny’s reactions to his answer. “I believed myself to be happy at the time, yes. If I had been truly unhappy at any stage, then I would have made my feelings known to Ginny.”

 

“And Mrs. Potter never gave any kind of indication that she was unhappy with your marriage at any time either?”

 

“We fought like every other couple does, but it was never anything that we couldn’t and didn’t resolve. She never once stated to me that she was unhappy with me or our relationship.”

 

“In that case, could you describe your feelings to the court when you discovered that Mrs. Potter had been sleeping with other men for most of your marriage?”

 

Richardson stepped aside at this, allowing Harry his first real look at Ginny that day. Sitting in the chained chair, she was holding her gaze steady on a spot on the floor in front of Harry. To anyone at the side of the courtroom, it would have looked as though she was meeting his eyes. He had been expecting a wash of sympathy for her, but he surprised himself by feeling nothing. No resentment, no anger, no compassion; there was simply nothing left. Clearing his throat, Harry refocussed on Richardson.

 

“I was hurt and angry. I had never felt such a strong feeling of betrayal as I had when I discovered that Ginny had been cheating on me. I hadn’t even suspected that she could do something like that until fairly recently.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“Because I thought I loved her.” Harry blinked. He hadn’t been prepared to be asked such a direct question, but figured Richardson had wanted an honest answer. “I thought our marriage was solid and hadn’t ever recognised any signs that indicated that she was unhappy or looking elsewhere.”

 

Richardson smiled, confirming Harry’s suspicions. “Thank you, Mr. Potter. Now, if we could skip forward a few weeks to the night of your retirement. You and Mrs. Potter had split up by this time and you were in the process of filing for divorce, correct?”

 

“Yes, we had separated a month beforehand.”

 

“Could you describe the night of your retirement to the court?”

 

Harry took a few seconds to arrange what he wanted to say in his mind. Richardson had coached him on what the Wizengamot would need to hear in order to make an informed decision and Harry was determined to get this right the first time.

 

“I arrived at the Ballroom just before seven that night and made my way inside. I knew that there was a chance that Ginny could show up and try something, because things between us had been strained for a few weeks at that point. She seemed to want to get back together with me, but I had resisted both because I am happy with Draco and because I had discovered that I preferred men over women. Ginny waited until I was half-way through my retirement speech before she made an appearance. I didn’t see what happened when the Aurors on guard duty caught her, but I made my way backstage when I heard her screaming to see her being restrained by two of them with a third carrying a vial of potion he had taken away from her. She was shrieking and struggling to get away. After what couldn’t have been more than a minute or so, she managed to bite down on the hand of one of the Aurors holding her and he dropped her. She grabbed his wand and cast curses towards the doorway, hitting Draco and causing serious injuries.”

 

“You mentioned that relations between you and Mrs. Potter had been strained. Could you give an example?”

 

Nodding again, Harry pressed his lips together. This part of his testimony would dictate how his relationship with the Weasleys would go from now on, but he figured if they could listen to this without protesting, then things would eventually go back to normal.

 

“Ginny has always had a hot temper. When I came out to her five weeks ago, she seemed more disappointed than anything else at first. But after we talked for a while, her anger began to show through. She admitted to me that night that she had loved one of the men that she had been sleeping with, but it wasn’t until later on that her rage truly came to the forefront. She told both of our boys that I wouldn’t ever see them again; she spent so much time away from our daughter that Lily was convinced that she had been abandoned; she gave Yasmine Archibald a completely false account of what had happened the night I came out to her and expected her to publish it in the _Daily Prophet_ ; she lied to our family and friends that I had been cheating on her our entire marriage; she came to my house and tried to convince me to stay married to her when she was turned down by the lawyers she wanted; she even resorted to slapping me a couple of times. It was all of these actions that led to me giving the Auror Corps the warning that Ron had given me: there was a possibility that she would try something at the Annual Ball.”

 

“I shall now have to take you back to the potion you mentioned. Did you know at the time what was in the vial?”

 

“No, I didn’t.”

 

“When did you find out?”

 

“Kingsley came to the hospital the next morning and informed me that the vial contained a homemade love potion.” He wanted desperately to add that they assumed that she was going to try to dose him with the potion to stop him from continuing with the divorce, but after years of testifying at various trials for the Auror Corps, he knew that that would be pulled up as pure speculation. “She was standing backstage with the potion, in the doorway I would have exited the stage from.”

 

Richardson nodded thoughtfully and proceeded to walk slowly around in front of the benches. Harry had seen this tactic before: give the Wizengamot time to digest what they had been told while seeming to come up with the next question for the witness. It was a technique that many lawyers had used during the cases Harry had testified at over the years, so he was prepared when Richardson stopped in front of the benches to his left, having made a full circle of the room.

 

“Was there ever any chance of you going back to Mrs. Potter? Would you have thrown Mr. Malfoy over to try to rekindle what you had with your wife?”

 

“No.” Harry knew that a simple negative answer was not enough for the court, but he paused anyway, allowing the courtroom to hear the conviction in his voice. “I am a gay man, Mr. Richardson. I realised that fact a little over two months ago. Whether Ginny wants to acknowledge that fact or not will not change it one bit. I am happy with Draco because, for the first time in my life, I am with someone who loves and appreciates me for who and what I am, not because of what I have.”

 

The loud buzz of conversation this generated went on for long enough that the Chief Warlock had to call for order. Richardson smiled thanks to her before speaking again.

 

“So after trying to convince you to change your mind about filing for divorce, Mrs. Potter tried to use a homemade love potion on you at the Annual Ball.” He turned to face the Wizengamot. “The potion has been tested and it has been confirmed to have the same drugging effects as a love potion. While I acknowledge that the use of love potions is not illegal in itself, I ask the court to consider the way in which this particular potion was to be used. Mrs. Potter’s intentions involved keeping her husband under the effects of said potion for who knows how long. Would she dose him every day? Would she have only continued the farce long enough to witness the breakdown of Mr. Potter’s relationship with Mr. Malfoy? We cannot say. However, consider this: we have all lived through the results of extended use of love potions. The first and second wizarding Wars were caused by a man who was conceived under the effects of a strong love potion. That fact in itself should be enough proof that the use of love potions should be illegal. Mr. Potter was facing a life of lies if Mrs. Potter had succeeded in dosing him that night. It would have not only ruined his relationship, but it would have destroyed his entire life. I ask you today to convict Ginevra Molly Potter of both fraud and attempted assault with intent to cause mental harm because of these facts.”

 

Richardson fell silent after this, simply watching the Wizengamot. Another small buzz of whispered conversation sounded again, but died down quickly this time.

 

“I believe that is all I need, Mr. Potter. Thank you.” Turning to Ginny’s lawyer, Richardson offered up a bland smile. “Your witness.”

 

Barrister Edwards was not someone Harry had ever seen operate in the courtroom, so he had no idea what to expect from him. Eyeing him as he stood and made his way slowly towards the witness box, Harry used his Auror instincts to assess him. He was completely forgettable, with his mousy brown hair and bland features, but those characteristics in a lawyer always had Harry’s instincts screaming at him that he was in danger. Training his focus entirely on Edwards, Harry tried his best to block the sight of Ginny from his mind as Edwards moved to stand beside her.

 

“When did you start your relationship with Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Potter?”

 

Harry’s nerves fluttered, but he had been coached on this as well. He had known that he would be interrogated about his relationship with Draco.

 

“Just over two months ago.”

 

“And when did you inform Mrs. Potter of your transgression?”

 

Harry briefly bit down on his tongue to prevent himself from glaring. “I confronted Ginny about both her infidelity and mine six weeks ago.”

 

Edwards nodded slowly. “During those six weeks, has your wife given you any reason to fear that she would attempt to use a love potion on you? Were there ever any verbal threats of her using something to physically stop you from continuing with this divorce?”

 

Harry had to bite back a sigh. “No, she never once said she was going to use a potion on me.”

 

“So the only proof you have that the potion Mrs. Potter was caught holding was for you is your own fear of being with your own wife?”

 

“She–”

 

“Objection!” Turning to glance over to the plaintiff’s seats, Harry saw Richardson striding out of his seat. “This is mere supposition.”

 

“As is your theory that the potion was to be used on Mr. Potter.”

 

Taking a deep breath to regain some of the composure he had lost, Harry watched as the two lawyers faced off. He had no doubt that Richardson had won many more cases than Edwards, but he still couldn’t shake the feeling that Edwards was more than he seemed.

 

“Silence!” The Chief Warlock stood from her chair, glaring down at the two of them. “I shall allow the statement to stand, as I allowed the original statement to stand. However, I shall ask that you not continue along that line of questioning, Barrister Edwards.”

 

Richardson turned and marched back to his chair, obviously unhappy with the result of the small altercation. Harry returned his attention to Edwards to see him smiling triumphantly at him.

 

“No further questions.”

 

The Chief Warlock stood again. “Thank you, Barrister Edwards. Mr. Potter, you may return to your seat.” The courtroom was silent as Harry exited the witness box and moved back over to sit beside Draco. “I believe now is a good time to take a short recess. Please return to your seats in half an hour.”

 

The entire courtroom seemed to rise and try to exit at the same time, turning the double doors into a swirling mass of bodies in a matter of seconds. Harry hung back a few seconds, waiting to see if he could get through without being detained by someone he didn’t wish to speak to. However, he found himself dragged over towards the second entrance to the room. He let out a sigh of relief when he turned to face both Draco and Richardson in the small waiting room off to the side.

 

“That was good, right? I mean, the only thing he could come up with was to try to discredit me, so that has to be a good sign, right?” Harry’s nerves fluttered when Richardson didn’t smile.

 

“It wasn’t bad. You’re right in thinking that Edwards has very little to go on in this case and that he will try to discredit both of you as well as the Auror Department. I guess we will see how well it went when Mr. Malfoy here is called up for witness.”

 

Richardson bowed his head to both of them before exiting the room and closing the door behind him. Left completely alone with Draco, Harry grinned nervously.

 

“Well?”

 

“I love you.”

 

Draco stepped forward and drew Harry into his arms. There had been an almost palpable sense of tension that had been running through Draco that morning when Harry had first cornered him in that empty room, but it seemed to have dissipated a little over the course of the morning. Relaxing into Draco's arms, Harry sighed.

 

“I love you, too.”


	42. Chapter 42

Harry was so warm in Draco's arms that he was beginning to have trouble keeping his mind focussed on the present. The scent of Harry’s aftershave drifted upwards and Draco breathed deeply, despite the fact that he knew that he really shouldn’t allow himself to become unfocussed. He still had to testify that day and he knew that if he allowed Harry to distract him too much, he wouldn’t be able to give the effective testimony that he knew the case required. Pulling back from the embrace, he fully intended to step away from Harry and create some much needed space between them. Harry, however, seemed to have other ideas. Leaning in so their lips brushed gently together, he smiled. It was a strange sensation, but even such a simple expression had Draco’s carefully constructed walls crumbling. Returning Harry’s smile, he closed the tiny gap between them and sealed their lips together properly.

 

The sound Harry let out in response was part-hum, part-chuckle and it caused Draco's stomach to flip pleasantly. Despite the fact that they were in public, Draco found himself feeling comfortable enough to tighten his grip on Harry’s waist and pull him closer. He knew, in the back of his mind, that this was probably a really bad idea; that he was in danger of not being focussed enough during his testimony. The problem, he knew, was that he was completely unable to resist Harry, even when he really should. He should have been more cautious in public as they were and that fact was proven in the next few seconds. A sharp knock on the door was followed swiftly by the door being opened and Molly Weasley entering the room.

 

“Harry, I… Oh!”

 

Draco and Harry separated in a split second, Draco turning to face the opposite wall as his face turned beet red. Not in all of his wildest nightmares had he imagined that they would ever be caught by someone like Molly Weasley. Lily, yes, but not Molly. Running a hand across his face as his skin prickled with embarrassment, he could feel just how red he was from the heat emanating from his skin.

 

“Oh, I am so sorry, I’ll just–”

 

“No, no, Molly, it’s alright.”

 

Draco nearly flinched when Harry grabbed his hand. The possibility of having to deal with an awkward reintroduction to any of the Weasleys had never crossed Draco's mind, but he knew how important they were to Harry. Glancing over when Harry squeezed his fingers, Draco knew that he couldn’t disappoint Harry by being rude. Taking a deep breath, he nodded, pushing as much of the embarrassment to the back of his mind as he could. Harry had re-met both of his parents and had resisted the temptation to be rude to them, so Draco could do this for him. Taking his hand back from Harry, he turned to face her. Standing in the doorway, layered in countless colourfully knitted shawls and her face a shade of red that Draco thought must at least come close to matching his own, Molly appeared to be about to flee. Her fingers twined around each other as she wrung her hands in front of her and she was staring determinedly at a spot on the floor, giving away just how embarrassed she was. Taking a deep breath, Draco gathered as much composure as he could before speaking.

 

“Mrs. Weasley.”

 

Draco offered a small bow of his head, but couldn’t bring himself to smile at her. The years of resentment and hostility between their two families was going to prove to be almost impossible to overcome, he knew, but he would be damned if he would allow a Weasley the satisfaction of knowing they had unnerved him enough for him to be impolite. That had been fine when he had been a teenager, but as an adult, it was uncouth. Molly seemed to be the one who was unnerved, however, as her only reaction to his greeting was an edgy-looking smile and a jerk of her head. Draco glanced over when Harry stepped up beside him and placed a hand on the small of his back.

 

“Is everything alright, Molly?” Draco could hear the concern in Harry’s voice. “Is it the kids?”

 

“No, no, not at all. Percy made it back just fine. I, uh…”

 

Draco frowned in confusion as she glanced around the room, not meeting either of their eyes. He had obviously never had the opportunity to study her mannerisms before, but it certainly seemed to him like she was incredibly uneasy about something. Meeting Harry’s eyes, Draco raised an eyebrow in question. His mind worked furiously through the reasons she could be so jumpy and could only come to one conclusion: it must be him. Harry offered up a small shrug and opened his mouth to say something, but Draco beat him to it.

 

“I’ll go. You obviously want some privacy.”

 

Leaving the two of them alone would also give Draco some time to compose himself before court started up again. It didn’t seem like he was going to get that time, however, as Molly held her hand up and met his eyes with a determination that reminded him sharply of Lily.

 

“No, stay.” Taking a deep breath, she straightened up, turned to face Harry and seemed to gather as much dignity as she could. “I wanted to apologise. To the both of you. I hadn’t realised the extent of everything Ginny had done to you and the children, Harry.”

 

Draco bit his tongue to prevent himself from snapping at her that she had simply refused to believe it when she had been told. His skin prickled with annoyance as he silently marvelled at the audacity of the woman. Did she really expect him to believe that she had simply not realised how Harry had been treated? Or that she hadn’t been one of the major contributing factors to Harry’s misery over the past two months? A quick glance to Harry swiftly put a halt to any anger that had been bubbling up inside Draco, however. The relief and happiness radiating from him was almost palpable and Draco couldn’t bring himself to ruin that. Placing a hand on Harry’s shoulder, he offered up a smile and nodded towards Molly. The grin that spread across Harry’s face sent a warmth through Draco that told him it was the right thing to do. If Harry wanted to make amends with Molly Weasley, then Draco was not going to deny him that. He watched as Harry stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Molly’s shoulders and was pleased to see the embrace returned. He offered Harry another smile as he slipped past them, giving them some privacy to talk things over in the short amount of time they had left.

 

The courtroom was starting to fill back up as Draco re-entered. Ginevra, of course, had been unable to move from the chained chair and her lawyer was standing beside her, speaking in a hushed tone. The both of them glanced over when Draco passed by, which Draco would have considered an accident, if Ginevra had managed to keep her mouth shut.

 

“It’s alright, I know you’ll take care of me.”

 

The look that accompanied the words bordered on the looks Ginevra had shot Harry just before she did something that had upset either Harry or Lily. Draco almost jumped in surprise; his years of Occlumency training and disinclination to allow the general public to see his emotions the only things preventing it. He kept up the same pace as he made his way over to the plaintiff’s seats, his expression very carefully passive. One glance towards the chained chair told him that they were watching his reaction to her words and so he simply sat and studied his nails until he knew they had given up watching him.

 

Draco had known that Edwards would most likely try to take his focus away from what he was supposed to be saying and doing, but this was something he hadn’t accounted for. That _Ginevra_ would be the one who managed to get beneath his skin was a complete surprise. It meant that Draco had to adjust his thinking about what was about to happen during his testimony, which he didn’t like: he much preferred to know what was coming. If their true aim was to try to make him lose his composure, then he would have to readjust everything he had prepared himself for relating to his testimony. He didn’t get a chance to overanalyse the idea, however, before he spotted Harry and Molly exiting the waiting room.

 

It was obvious by her red eyes that Molly had been crying. Harry appeared to be in better condition, with a smile on his face that Draco hadn’t seen in a long time. It showed a contented happiness that sent warmth shooting through Draco's chest and caused him to come to the decision that he wouldn’t bother Harry with what he had heard at that moment. Let him have these few hours of happiness before dragging him back to reality.

 

“What’s wrong?” Harry stepped into the plaintiff’s seats and sat down, pinning Draco with a concerned look.

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“I may not be as good at reading you as Astoria is, but I can usually tell when there’s something wrong. What happened?”

 

Draco's eyes flickered unwillingly over to where Ginevra sat and Harry’s gaze followed. They were met with a smug look that told Draco that it was entirely possible that he was being played. He couldn’t simply dismiss the look he had seen in her eyes, but this was something he had to deal with himself. There was no way Harry could do anything, so there was no point in disturbing him with what he had seen. Turning back to Harry, Draco shook his head.

 

“It’s nothing I can’t handle.”

 

Harry eyed him for a few seconds before settling back into his chair. He kept his eyes focussed ahead of them, but his hand strayed over to rest on Draco's thigh.

 

“We’re going to get her put away for a very long time,” he murmured, a strangely cold tone to his voice. It was just loud enough for Draco to hear and the tone sent a shiver down Draco's spine, causing him to wonder if Harry had momentarily slipped back into the Auror mindset he had glimpsed on a couple of occasions. “No matter what she says, or what tricks she tries to pull, there’s no denying the evidence. If the Wizengamot convict on evidence alone, then we’re going to win.”

 

Needing to see if the look in Harry’s eyes matched the almost cold tone in his voice, Draco reached to squeeze the fingers of the hand that rested on his thigh. Harry turned to face him immediately, showing Draco that he had been right: there was a chilling coldness to Harry’s eyes that matched his voice. It was only a very brief glimpse, though, as Harry’s expression softened almost the second their eyes met, a wide smile spreading across his face that nearly had Draco smiling back at him. Draco was about to speak when the Chief Warlock stood and cleared her throat.

 

“The court will come to order.” The small buzz of conversation that had cropped up as the room filled died down in the matter of a few seconds. “Barrister Richardson, please call your next witness.”

 

Taking his hand back from Harry’s, Draco took a deep breath, his stomach beginning to flutter with nerves again. Richardson strode down from his seat to stand in front of the Wizengamot and offered them a small bow, showing all the confidence that Draco knew he should have been feeling himself.

 

“The prosecution would like to call Draco Lucius Malfoy to the stand.”

 

A quick buzz of whispering filled the room as Draco stood. He was painfully aware of having all eyes in the room on him, but he pushed it all to the back of his mind. He had never once let the public’s opinion of him prevent him from doing what he knew had to be done and he certainly wasn’t going to let them start now. Straightening his back and holding his head high, he took another steadying breath and moved down to sit in the chair in the witness box. The whispering seemed to intensify for a few seconds, but Draco ignored it, choosing instead to allow his public persona fall over him.

 

Staring at Richardson, everything that he had been coached on came to the forefront of Draco's mind: play up to the public’s perception of you, as they won’t believe anything else; give considered answers, but keep the language relatively simple; do not accuse Ginevra directly. Because he liked to believe himself diplomatic in most situations, Draco figured he wouldn’t have much trouble with the instructions he had been given. He locked eyes with Richardson when he moved to block his view of Ginevra.

 

“Mr. Malfoy, could you please tell the court how long you have known Ginevra Potter?”

 

“Twenty five years; since I was twelve years old.”

 

“And in that time, how many physical altercations have you had with Mrs. Potter?”

 

Draco cocked his head to the side, considering the question. “We may have exchanged a few hexes during school, but nothing too serious. A few weeks back, I prevented her from slapping Harry by grabbing her wrist. And, of course, there was the night of the Annual Ball when she cursed me.”

 

“The Ministry’s Annual Ball.” Richardson laced his fingers together over his stomach and began to walk slowly off to his left, seeming to ponder what Draco had said. “Could you describe the night to the court? In detail, if you please.”

 

Casting his eyes down to stare at a small stain on the floor, Draco took a few seconds to order what he wanted to say. He knew that after what they had tried with Harry’s testimony, Ginevra’s lawyer would try to discredit everything he said, so he wanted to make absolutely certain that what he said couldn’t be taken any other way than the one he intended it to be. Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly and met Richardson’s eyes before speaking.

 

“I entered the ballroom a little later than I had intended, as I was detained out the front by the press, who wanted pictures and stories. It must have been a little after seven when I entered. The room was full and I spent most of the time before the speeches socialising with a number of different associates. The speeches were scheduled to last about two hours altogether and Harry was halfway through his retirement speech when there was a shriek from backstage. Our entire table was made up of Aurors and they all raced backstage. I stayed in the ballroom for as long as I could stand before I had to know what was going on, because Harry had run backstage when the shriek sounded. What I saw stunned me a little: Ginevra was being held by two Aurors and was struggling against them. It looked like they had her in hand, but she managed to bite the hand of one of them and grab his wand. I didn’t hear what she cast at me, but it was definitely me she was aiming at, as I was the only one anywhere near the doorway at the time. The first curse was an exsanguination curse to ensure I bled a lot and the second broke my nose. I honestly don’t remember much after being hit by the curses except a lot of blood and Harry yelling. The next thing I remember clearly is waking in the hospital.”

 

Richardson nodded slowly. In the few seconds before he spoke again, Draco risked a glance over to Edwards, needing to know how much attention he had been paying. Sitting in the seats designated for the defendant’s lawyers, his head was bent over a notebook that he was scribbling in. Draco knew the mousey, bland image the man gave off had to be fake and that fact was proven the second Edwards glanced up. His brown eyes had turned sharp, holding such fascination in them that Draco knew that they were aiming at trying to throw off his stride; there was no other explanation as to why Edwards looked so fascinated when hearing facts he must have known beforehand. Out of the three testimonies that were to be heard in the case, Draco’s and the Auror’s would be the most damaging to Ginevra. Edwards met Draco's eyes and the look vanished almost immediately, to be replaced with the same blank expression he usually presented. Draco almost smiled in response. Even if Edwards had meant for Draco to see that look in his eyes, Draco now knew exactly how he would deal with him. Raising his chin a little, he offered up his best superior look before turning back to Richardson.

 

“You say you don’t remember much from the second you were hit with the curses to the time you awoke in the hospital, but could you describe what you do remember?”

 

This was part of what Draco had been coached on, so he knew exactly what Richardson wanted. There was no chance that Edwards could throw him off this part of the testimony.

 

“The pain of the curses was focussed on the bridge of my nose and through my sinuses. I couldn’t see much once she had broken my nose, because my eyes immediately began to water, but what I did see was covered with blood. Because of the exsanguination curse, the only people who could stop the bleeding were the Healers at St. Mungo’s, but Harry managed to Heal my nose at the ballroom. Everything goes fuzzy after Harry Healed my nose, unfortunately. I believe that I may have passed out.” Ginevra rolled her eyes at this, but Draco ignored it. “My memory is in bits and pieces from the hospital. I remember fighting the Healers when they were trying to Heal the exsanguination curse. The next clear memory I have is waking to see Astoria in my hospital room. The Healers had me on pain medication that was strong enough that the room kept spinning. I couldn’t focus on one thing for very long and kept becoming distracted. It took the pain away, however, and that was the point. Without it, the pain was bad enough that I couldn’t move; could hardly open my eyes. It was a full week before I could take an appropriately lower dose of the potion, which meant that I couldn’t even work once I was allowed back at the Manor.”

 

Draco couldn’t help glancing back over towards both Ginevra and Edwards, wondering what they had in store for him. Ginevra’s expression hadn’t really changed the entire morning, but she did look slightly more confident now than she had when Harry had been testifying. It was more Edwards that Draco knew he had to watch. The calculating look hadn’t reappeared, but that one glimpse was more than enough to have Draco on his guard. He refocussed when Richardson began speaking again.

 

“Did you do anything to provoke this attack? Did you speak to Mrs. Potter, or maybe gesture to her in any way?”

 

“No, not at all.” Draco shook his head. “I had gone backstage to look for Harry; to make sure he was unharmed.”

 

Turning to face the Wizengamot, Richardson smiled. “This was an unprovoked attack, this much is clear. The weapon used was stolen from an Auror, who was just trying to do his job and protect the people from a woman who was in the process of having a breakdown. What Mrs. Potter’s true motives were, we may never know. But this case is not about her motives. What we are here to establish is that she caused Mr. Malfoy a serious injury with the stolen wand of an Auror. If I could just go back over the facts of the case.” Richardson spread his hands and offered up a small smile to the Wizengamot, almost as though he were asking permission. “Ginevra Potter struggled out of the grip of an Auror and stole his wand. She then pointed said wand towards Mr. Malfoy and cast two curses at him. The first guaranteed that he would bleed a lot and the second broke his nose. He suffered massive blood loss that occasioned him being admitted to hospital and administered pain potions that caused him a loss of income for the period of a week. I believe that it would not be too much to ask that she be convicted of grievous bodily harm with a dangerous weapon, considering the facts of the case.” With a small bow to the Wizengamot, Richardson turned to face Edwards. “Your witness.”

 

The smile Barrister Edwards showed Draco had him shivering with anticipation. Draco was rarely in a situation that allowed him to match wits with someone on this level anymore and despite everything that was on the line, he knew that this would be entertaining.

 

“Mr. Malfoy.” Edwards moved to stand in front of Draco, but did not block his view of Ginevra. “Who was the instigator of your relationship with Mr. Potter? Who approached whom?”

 

“Objection!” Draco was unsure if Richardson had even had the time to sit down before standing with his arms raised in protest. “Relevance?”

 

Keeping his expression carefully neutral, Draco's eyes flicked back to Edwards. He was smiling in a way that made it look like he was enjoying himself immensely.

 

“Mr. Malfoy’s relationship with Mr. Potter is the reason he was in that ballroom at that time. It is also the reason he ventured backstage and got himself injured.”

 

If looks could kill, Edwards would have been a smoking pile of ash on the floor of the courtroom. Richardson strode out of the stands again, anger emanating from every inch of him.

 

“Your client is the reason Mr. Malfoy was injured.”

 

“Perhaps you should have tried to prove that.”

 

“Silence! You will both come to order or I shall have to eject you!” Draco turned so he could see the Chief Warlock standing in her seat. “Barrister Edwards, you shall keep your questions to the point. Barrister Richardson, if you have an objection to anything that is being said, you shall remember that you are a grown man and not lose your temper in my courtroom.”

 

It was obvious that she was exasperated and Draco had to hope that she wouldn’t take it out on either him or their case. Making absolutely certain that he wasn’t showing any emotions he didn’t want anyone to see, Draco turned back to face the two lawyers. Richardson offered a bow before moving back to his seat. Edwards, on the other hand, was still smiling.

 

“If you had not been in a relationship with Mr. Potter, would you have attended the Annual Ball?”

 

Draco nodded. “Yes. I make it a point of attending this Ball every year. It’s the only formal function that I am guaranteed to attend.”

 

“Would you have been sitting where you were this year if not for your relationship with Mr. Potter?”

 

“No.”

 

“Would you have gone backstage at any point?”

 

“No.”

 

“Would you have spoken to either Mr. or Mrs. Potter?”

 

“No.” Annoyance tightened Draco's muscles at not being asked relevant questions. How was he supposed to prove that she had injured him on purpose if her lawyer was intent on avoiding the point? “But–”

 

“Please just answer the questions as they are asked, Mr. Malfoy.” Edwards shot him a smug look hat had Draco's hair standing up on the back of his neck before continuing. “You were the reason Mr. Potter decided to retire, is that correct?”

 

“No, he–”

 

“Can you guarantee that you were the only one who was standing beside that door?”

 

“Yes, I–”

 

“Is there not even the slightest possibility that Mrs. Potter could have seen someone behind you whom she was aiming for instead and just happened to hit you as you came into the room?”

 

“No! I was the only–”

 

“How exactly do you know that, Mr. Malfoy? You didn’t have the same viewpoint as Mrs. Potter.”

 

“I–”

 

“Objection!”

 

Draco huffed out a frustrated breath and turned to glare at Richardson before he could prevent himself. It was the returning glare that Richardson shot him that told Draco that he had lost control over his temper. Closing his eyes, his rapidly beating heart, tense muscles, clenched fists and heated face finally registered with him. It had been a while since he had lost control like that in public and even then it had been with Harry. That Edwards had the power to break through his usual calm exterior unnerved Draco enough that he could feel his hands beginning to shake.

 

“He is badgering my client.”

 

“I am _questioning_ the witness, not badgering.”

 

Keeping his eyes closed as humiliation washed through him, Draco could only guess at what was happening in front of him. He did, however, hear the sigh the Chief Warlock gave before speaking.

 

“I am calling a halt to today’s proceedings. Court shall resume tomorrow morning at 9am. Barrister Edwards, I suggest that you reconsider the way in which you are choosing to question the witnesses. Barrister Richardson, I suggest that you regain some control over your own temper before entering my court again. Court dismissed.”

 

His face burning a bright red for the second time that day, all Draco could think of was escape. He had disgraced himself in public and possibly damaged the case against Ginevra by losing his temper with her lawyer, so there was really no choice in the matter as far as he saw: without even waiting for Astoria, he stood and exited the courtroom as fast as decorum would permit. He had to get away.


	43. Chapter 43

“Are you absolutely certain? Because I can take them back to Grimmauld with me right now; it’s no problem.”

 

“Nonsense! I have never once described one of my grandchildren as being a problem and I will not start now.”

 

Stepping out of the way as Molly bustled around the kitchen of the Burrow, Harry nodded. He had gone straight there after the court case had been adjourned for the day as had been his original plan for the day. He had found the boys busy in the orchard, playing a game of one-on-one Quidditch and Lily had claimed Hermione immediately to explain something that she had found in a textbook, leaving Harry to wander into the kitchen behind Molly. He bit down on his bottom lip as nerves fluttered through his stomach, although whether he was more nervous about being alone with Molly in the Burrow or about confronting Draco a little later on, he had no idea.

 

Both Richardson and Astoria had assured him in strong terms that everything would be alright, with both the case and Draco respectively. If anything, Richardson seemed more confident now than he had that morning. He’d declared that if Edwards was resorting to trying to demonstrate that Draco hadn’t changed since his days as a Death Eater, then they stood a great chance of winning. _The evidence is with us_ , he had informed Harry before sending him on his way.

 

Astoria had been equally confident, about both the case and Draco, but had warned Harry that Draco would most likely stay in a foul mood the rest of the day. Despite this warning, Harry had the full intention of going to the Manor to check on him. His stomach fluttered and he decided that it was definitely Draco he was nervous about seeing rather than Molly. He hadn’t had to deal with a properly angry Draco for a while now and he really didn’t want to have to dodge hexes cast at him if he could avoid it. The sound of the refrigerator closing behind him dragged Harry out of his thoughts. Ron offered up a small smile as he grabbed a bottle of Butterbeer from the fridge and exited the room. Shaking his head, Harry refocussed.

 

“Thanks, Molly, it means a lot to know they’ve got somewhere safe to stay.”

 

She smiled and waved him off out of her way as she continued making lunch for the entire family. Not only was she cooking for Harry and his kids, but Hermione, Ron, Percy, Audrey and George had all shown up both for the courtroom and lunch as well. Deciding to give her the room she was obviously requesting, Harry wandered through the house, knowing that he had to speak to Ron before taking off for the Manor. He found him sitting outside on the same bench Harry had sat on with Arthur a few weeks back.

 

“House a bit noisy for you?”

 

Harry smiled, hoping that Ron would respond. It took a few seconds, in which Ron took a slow sip of the Butterbeer and wrapped his jacket around himself against the chill air, causing Harry’s nerves to jump again. They hadn’t really spoken since that day in Fortescue’s, but Harry was ever hopeful that things would work out. Stretching his legs in front of him, Ron offered up a mock-grimace.

 

“Bloody house is always noisy.”

 

Relief flooded through Harry, but he still couldn’t help noticing that Ron hadn’t looked at him, or offered part of the seat. Keeping his smile firmly in place, Harry decided to just get on with what he was there to say.

 

“Look, I need to thank you for giving me that warning about Ginny. If you hadn’t, then the Aurors wouldn’t have been watching as carefully as they were and who knows what could have happened.”

 

Ron nodded. “No problem.”

 

Thinking that that was about the best he could expect, Harry moved off back into the house again, to say his goodbyes to Molly and Arthur. It was as he was exiting the house that Ron spoke again, almost startling Harry out of his skin.

 

“I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

 

Harry spun around and grinned when he saw Ron waving as he entered the house again. His breath fogged in front of him as he walked the few steps to the Apparition point and he wrapped his arms about his middle before Apparating to Grimmauld. It made much more sense for him to floo into the Manor from Grimmauld than to Apparate and knock on the front door and he took a few seconds to shed his coat in the living room of Grimmauld.

 

The living room of the Manor was empty when Harry stepped from the floo. Instead of waiting or a house-elf to appear, he walked swiftly out into the marble-floored lobby, intending to make his way upstairs to where he assumed Draco was. He was stopped by Lucius Malfoy stepping from a doorway down the hall.

 

“How nice to know that my family’s ancestral home is open to anyone who would care to enter.”

 

Harry froze just before stepping onto the first stair and took a few steps backward so he could see Lucius completely. “Mr. Malfoy.” He offered a small bow of his head, but annoyance rippled across his shoulders when Lucius made no reply. “I have actually had full access to the Manor via the floo for a while now. Draco trusts me.”

 

Lucius seemed to be examining Harry closely as he walked slowly towards the front of the house and Harry found himself thankful that he had worn trousers and a shirt rather than jeans and a flannelette shirt beneath his robes. Harry couldn’t tell if Lucius’ hair was still the same pale blond as it had been when he was younger, but the stark contrast between it and the pitch black of his formal robes was striking. He would have made quite the intimidating figure if Harry had ever been afraid of him.

 

“My son’s irregularities aside, it is bad manners to simply enter someone else’s home without a proper invitation.”

 

Rolling his shoulders in an attempt to rid himself of the annoyance that continued to flow through him, Harry met Lucius’ eyes without hesitation. “I’m sorry if I’ve offended you, Mr. Malfoy, but all I intended to do was check on Draco.”

 

“And we are not going to prevent you from doing so.”

 

Harry had to bite down on the inside of his lip to stop himself from grinning as Narcissa appeared from one of the other doorways behind Lucius. The brief look of displeasure that crossed Lucius’ face was quickly replaced by a blank mask so reminiscent of Draco that Harry stared in surprise for a few seconds.

 

“Draco is in his rooms.”

 

Recovering from the slight shock as quickly as he could, Harry nodded his thanks to Narcissa before mounting the stairs and almost jogging through the house. His interactions with Lucius and Narcissa had always had the potential to be strained at the very least, but it seemed to him that Narcissa was willing to at least be civil. He figured that that was probably all he could ask for at that moment.

 

Forcibly pushing all thoughts of Draco's parents to the back of his mind as he came to the door of Draco's suite, Harry took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Now that he was alone again, all of his earlier nerves had returned with a vengeance, causing his hands to clench by his sides. He flexed his fingers before reaching to knock on the door. When there was no response, he pushed the door open and stuck his head into the first room, hoping he wouldn’t be met with flying hexes. He almost considered the sight he was greeted with worse: Draco stood at the floor-to-ceiling window, his back stiff and his hands resting at the small of his back. His formal robes lay over the back of one of the soft chairs, looking as though he had simply flung them there. It left him clad in his usual ‘casual’ clothes: form-fitting black trousers, a white, long sleeved shirt and a black vest. Harry licked suddenly dry lips, although whether they were dry from nerves or lust, he had no idea at this point.

 

“Draco?” His voice was low and he could hear the nerves, but he moved to enter the room anyway, standing just inside the door.

 

“Do come in, Potter. You’ve never asked for permission before, so why start now?”

 

The tightly controlled anger in the words caused Harry to flinch involuntarily. He had known that Draco would most likely be angry with him over what had happened, no matter how irrational that sounded. He pushed his nervous reaction down as far as possible, however, and took a few cautious steps into the room, automatically glancing around. Usually he ignored this room, using it only as a means to get to the bedroom, but now he looked around it with new eyes: he needed to know all the exits and places to hide to dodge spells that had been cast at him. It wasn’t a large room, but Draco had managed to fit three soft armchairs as well as a cooler that Harry knew housed alcohol of all kinds. He almost jumped when Draco’s voice sounded close behind him.

 

“I’m not going to try to murder you, so you can stop looking for an escape route.” Draco crossed behind him towards the sideboard above the cooler that held the alcohol that didn’t need refrigeration. “No matter how much you may deserve it.”

 

Well, at least that solved one of the nagging questions Harry had: Draco did blame him for what had happened in the courtroom. It was a logical reaction that Harry had seen many times during his years as an Auror; people tended to lash out at the most convenient target. That was him for Draco, as it was his ex-wife who had caused all the trouble. Taking a deep breath, he was about to respond when Draco spoke again.

 

“Drink.”

 

Harry blinked. “Er, no, thanks.”

 

“I wasn’t asking, Potter. Have a drink.”

 

Without even looking at him, Draco recapped the bottle he had poured his own drink from and crossed over to sit on one of the seats. Harry scrubbed a hand along the back of his neck as the hair stood up, his skin prickling. Sighing, he figured there was no harm in having a drink, especially if the day ended the way it appeared as though it was going to end. Not that he was going to give this relationship up without a fight and fight he would, if it came down to it.

 

His mind raced as he poured himself a glass of expensive-smelling bourbon. Draco's past fits of anger had resulted in physical altercations followed by some of the most amazing sex Harry had ever had, but this time was different. The past few times Draco had confronted him had been just that: confrontations. This silence and outward appearance of calm was completely disturbing and he had no idea how to react to it other than to keep his guard up. Clenching his hands around the glass, he moved over to sit on the edge of the chair opposite Draco.

 

“I, er…”

 

“None of this would have happened if it wasn’t for you.”

 

Harry almost flinched again as he felt his stomach drop into his shoes. There was still a tone of tightly controlled anger to Draco’s voice that caused Harry’s nerves to sing with tension and he gulped down a mouthful of bourbon in reaction.

 

“I…”

 

Harry paused, unsure of how to respond. Technically, Draco was right: if they hadn’t gotten involved, none of this would be happening. At least, none of it would be happening to Draco; Harry hoped that he would have seen through Ginny’s lies sooner rather than later without Draco's interference. Then again, he considered, it hadn’t been _him_ who had made the first move in that bathroom two months ago. If anything, Draco was just as much to blame as he was.

 

“You’re not even going to respond?”

 

The contemptuous look Draco shot him caused anger to flare in Harry’s chest. “If you’re waiting for me to apologise, you’ll be disappointed. You letting Edwards get to you like that had nothing to do with me.”

 

Draco stood and crossed to stand in front of the window again so fast it was almost as though he had Apparated. Amber liquid sloshed in the glass Draco had abandoned, almost spilling over the sides. Harry watched it for a few seconds before downing the rest of his own drink and placing the glass on the table. Standing, he took a deep breath and pushed his own anger as far down as he could before speaking.

 

“Richardson doesn’t think the case has been ruined. He thinks that they just want to put you off your testimony enough so that they can use your past against you.” He paused and took another deep breath when Draco scoffed. “What?”

 

“I have just made a complete fool of myself in one of the most public arenas I have been in since the end of the War and you think it’s the fucking _case_ I’m angry over?” Draco's eyes flashed as he spun to grace Harry with a scornful look. “But _of course_ everything is about _you_.”

 

A strong sense of confusion sent Harry’s head spinning and he began to speak before he could clear it. “How the hell is that fair?”

 

“‘Fair’?” The level of scorn in Draco's expression had seeped into his voice, causing Harry to flex his shoulders as annoyance tensed them. “Life isn’t fair, Potter. You should be used to that by now.”

 

Draco turned and made to stalk off into his bedroom, but Harry was faster. He grasped Draco's wrist and pulled him back so they were face-to-face. Draco's eyes steeled with anger in the few seconds they stood staring at each other and he tried to yank his hand out of Harry’s, but Harry was determined that he would be heard.

 

“I have given you _everything_ I can over the past two months. I’ve let you into every aspect of my life, including introducing you to my kids. I don’t know what else you could possibly want from me.” Harry’s free hand clenched by his side when Draco rolled his eyes, but he forced himself to release his grip on Draco's wrist and step backwards. No matter how angry he was at that moment, he knew that if he continued he would most likely end up saying something he would regret later. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down a little before speaking. “You might want to sort out what it is you do want by tomorrow.”

 

Turning and exiting the room before Draco could respond, Harry flexed his hands, trying to expend some of the anger and frustration before he went back to the Burrow. He was stopped just before entering the living room to use the floo.

 

“Harry?” Astoria stood at the bottom of the grand staircase, a worried crease forming between her eyes. “What happened?”

 

Sighing, Harry ran a hand through his hair. “I should have left him to sulk on his own until tomorrow.”

 

“He’ll calm down; he always does.”

 

Astoria offered up a small smile, but all Harry could do in response was shrug. He was regretting his words already, but knew that he would have time the next day to make it all up with Draco; there was no way he was risking going back up there now.

 

*~*

 

The heels of Draco's boots thudded softly on the thick carpet as he paced the length of his bedroom. It seemed to him that he had been destined to fuck that day up spectacularly no matter which way it went; first with his testimony, then with Harry. He had spent the past few hours running over everything that had happened that day in his mind and had to come to the conclusion that there was nothing he could have done differently when it came to the case. Edwards had had him in his sights since the second he had entered that courtroom and there was absolutely nothing that would have swayed him from that course. Harry, however…

 

Draco sighed. Harry was another matter altogether. He still had mixed feelings about what had happened there, but one thing was clear to him: he needed to apologise. He knew that most of what he had said had no meaning whatsoever, but had just been something to say to provoke a response from Harry. What he did remember clearly, however, was Harry’s reaction: _you might want to sort out what it is you do want by tomorrow._ Most of his anger was still directly solely at himself, but being issued an ultimatum like that had brought him up short. Draco had been in need of an outlet for his anger and Harry had borne the brunt of it when he had entered the room. He had been unable to respond before Harry had stomped out of the room, but now he knew he had to.

 

Pausing in his pacing as he reached the now dark windows, he ran a hand through his hair. He hated apologising, but there was no way he was going to allow himself to lose Harry over something as ridiculous and trivial as this. The decision having been made, he spun on his heel and stalked out of the room, pausing only long enough to grab his wand from the table where he had thrown it.

 

The Manor was quiet as he made his way down to the living room, his boots clicking on the floors. He knew it was rather late to be calling on someone and the clock in the lobby of the Manor confirmed it as it struck ten. Draco hesitated only a few seconds before throwing a handful of powder into the fire and giving Harry’s address.

 

“What are _you_ doing here?”

 

The sight Draco was met with as he stepped through into Grimmauld shouldn’t have surprised him: James and Albus had obviously been playing chess on the lounge in front of the fire, but James had stopped the second the fire flared. Standing with his hands on his hips, he was glaring at Draco with all he was worth.

 

“I need to speak to your Father.”

 

“Yeah? Well maybe he doesn’t want to speak to you, have you thought about that? I told him this was a bad idea but he didn’t listen to me and now look what’s happened!”

 

“James, maybe we should go get Dad?”

 

“No!” James spun to face his brother with the same glare. “Don’t you see that _he’s_ the reason Dad’s been upset all afternoon? He went over there and when he came back, he didn’t even want to talk about it with Aunt Hermione or Uncle Ron.”

 

James continued to snarl at his brother but Draco tuned out. Hanging his head, he knew James couldn’t realise that he had just given Draco all the information he needed to know that what he was there to do was the right thing. Harry had been right that afternoon when he had accused him of being unfair, as it was only logical for all of Harry’s thoughts to be focussed on the trial. Draco raised his head when a deeper voice spoke in a reprimanding tone.

 

“Enough! Go up to bed, both of you.”

 

Draco watched as both boys moved slowly out of the room. James shot him one last glare before leaving the room, but Draco ignored it. He took a small step forward when he was alone with Harry, but was stopped when Harry spoke again.

 

“Are you looking to piss off every Potter you can find today? Lily’s asleep upstairs, maybe you want to go up and tell her she’s not smart enough to work with those potions she’s always reading about?”

 

Spreading his hands in a placating gesture, Draco took another step forward. “I’m here to apologise, not pick another fight.”

 

Harry sighed and removed his glasses, throwing them onto the table beside the lounge before jamming the heels of his palms into his eyes and scrubbing hard. His eyes were unfocussed when he removed his hands and it gave him such a vulnerable look that Draco had trouble not reaching for him. His fingers twitched anyway and he took another step forwards, but Harry held a hand up to stop him.

 

“It’s been a hell of a long day.” He sounded so tired and Draco's chest ached in response, but he held back.  “We’re both overstressed and obviously not thinking straight. Maybe we should just do this tomorrow, once I’ve had time to clear my head.”

 

Draco nodded his agreement, but couldn’t help speaking again. “You told me to sort out what I wanted before tomorrow. You need to know that what I want – what I have always wanted – has never changed.” Fighting against the instincts that were screaming at him to not allow himself to be too exposed, he took a deep breath and ignored them. “I love you and some stupid argument isn’t going to change that at all.”

 

With that, he turned and stepped back towards the fire. He fully expected to be allowed to just leave, but Harry grabbed his wrist before he could throw the powder into the fire. He looked even tireder up close and Draco again had to resist the urge to touch him. Harry, it seemed, had no such qualms. Leaning in, he brushed a soft kiss across Draco's lips.

 

“Tomorrow.”

 

Watching as Harry turned and left the room, Draco took a steadying breath. He had a lot to sort through before the morning.


	44. Chapter 44

Footsteps echoed down the tiled hallway outside the courtroom, causing Harry to turn to glance behind him for what felt like the millionth time that morning. He had arrived to the courtrooms a little early in the hope that Draco would as well and they could sort out the issues they had had the day before, but it seemed that the hope had been in vain. Turning back, he caught a glimpse of a look shared between Ron and Hermione, who he was standing with outside the courtroom. He raised an eyebrow but kept his mouth firmly shut, not knowing if showing how badly he wanted to see Draco was a good idea or not. Hermione grinned at him but also didn’t say a word, something Harry was grateful for.

 

“How’s Rosie doing in school?” Ron and Hermione’s kids were always a safe topic to bring up, as he knew the subject wouldn’t break the fragile truce he and Ron seemed to have struck. “James and Al aren’t much help with that kind of information.”

 

The bright smile that lit Hermione’s face had Harry smiling in response. “She’s still a bit homesick, but she loves the classes. It seems like she has a talent for Transfiguration. Apparently the Professor is a transfer from Beauxbatons and has a different style of teaching than a lot of the British Professors. I’d love to sit in on a class and see what the differences really are…”

 

Harry risked a glance at Ron to see him trying to smother a smile as Hermione continued to rave about the new Transfiguration Professor. It was such a familiar and comfortable scene with his best friends that Harry could almost forget all the bad things that had happened over the past two months. The warm feeling it sent through his chest slowly spread through his entire body and he found himself smiling and nodding in agreement with everything Hermione said. The warmth was a welcome change from the nerves that had been fluttering through him all morning, with the knowledge of what was coming, both with the case and with Draco. Her monologue didn’t stop until a blur of red hair and ruffled green robes rushed past the three of them.

 

“ _Lily!_ ”

 

Harry spun around and made to grab his daughter, but she ducked and twisted, causing him to miss. Glancing up to see where she was heading, his breath left him when he saw Draco kneel down just in time to scoop Lily into his arms. His heart pounding in his ears, Harry abandoned Ron and Hermione with a quick apologetic smile.

 

“Hullo Draco.” Lily’s slightly muffled voice carried to Harry as he made his way over to where the two of them stood.

 

“Good morning, Princess.”

 

The strength of the relief that rushed through Harry had him struggling to resist the urge to knock Lily out of Draco's arms and kiss him senseless in the middle of the corridor. Surely if Draco was still angry at him, he wouldn’t be treating Lily like that, right? His heart felt as though it was trying to escape through his ribcage, his fingers twitched with the need to touch and his skin tingled with the onslaught of desire that rushed through him when he caught the tell-tale crinkle at the edge of Draco's eyes that indicated he was smiling widely. It was all tempered, however, by an overlay of nerves that held him back. How the hell he could have been stupid enough to issue a threat to Draco like he had the day before was beyond him. _You might want to sort out what it is you do want by tomorrow._ It now seemed like such a stupid thing to have said; he knew that Draco had never threatened to leave him, not even when he had probably deserved it. Draco had obviously been in need of sympathy and understanding and all Harry had offered up was anger and scorn. Once his own anger and hurt over what he had seen to be Draco's unfair accusation had died down, it had left him feeling a right moron. Draco had supported him through everything that had happened and when it had come time for him to return the favour, he had fucked it all up. He offered up a hesitant smile when Draco met his eyes over Lily’s shoulder.

 

“Please don’t be mad at Dad because James is an idiot.”

 

“I can hear you Lily,” Harry reminded her in a chastising tone. “Don’t call your brother names.” He could have sworn he caught the edge of the smile on Draco's face before Lily slid back down onto her feet, but it was hidden swiftly now that he no longer had her to hide his reactions from the rest of the world.

 

“I’m not angry, Lil.”

 

Harry had to close his eyes as another, much stronger wave of relief washed over him. When he reopened them after a few seconds, it was to find Lily staring at him with a calculating look in her eyes.

 

“You’re not allowed to argue.” She pointed at both of them in turn, wagging her finger in close imitation of Molly. “I’ll be watching.”

 

Turning to watch as Lily spun around and almost skipped back to where Ron and Hermione stood trying to look like they weren’t staring at them, Harry shook his head. He turned back to see Draco watching him with a look that came as close to being affection as he had ever seen from him in public. The desire it sent threading up Harry’s spine again had him smiling and he nodded towards the room he had dragged Draco into the day before.

 

“Shall we?”

 

The small smile Draco offered up was all the response Harry needed. He followed behind as Draco led the way to the deserted room and remembered to close and lock the door behind them. His stomach resumed fluttering when Draco turned to face him.

 

“You wished to wait until today to continue the discussion from last night.”

 

Harry nodded. “I did. I do. I – er–” Ducking his head as he began to almost stutter, Harry sighed. “Look, Lily’s right: I don’t want to fight.”

 

“You think I do?”

 

Raising his head proved to be the wrong move, as the only effect it had was to send another thread of desire up his spine as he met Draco's eyes. This was probably not going to be the smooth reconciliation he had hoped for and becoming distracted by Draco's bloody eyes – which seemed to have somehow sharpened in the past few minutes – wasn’t helping Harry to think straight. He nibbled on his bottom lip as he tried to sort through what he should do, how he should respond. There were definitely things that needed to be addressed between the two of them, but where to start? Unthinkingly, he began to pace back and forth, a small frown creasing his forehead as he ran through the growing list of things he wanted to say. The movement helped, as did the fact that it was impossible for him to look at Draco when he was moving as he was. He came to an abrupt halt when Draco stepped in front of him. Staring into Draco's eyes, Harry’s mind went blank once again.

 

“I meant what I said last night.”

 

Harry blinked, trying to remember what had been said the night before. “What?”

 

The slow smile that crossed Draco's face told Harry he knew exactly what effect he was having on him. Draco stepped closer and Harry sucked in a breath, holding it as his muscles tensed. Jumping Draco at this point would be counterproductive, he told himself firmly.

 

“Last night,” Draco repeated in a low voice that sent a shiver up Harry’s spine. “I came to Grimmauld to apologise. I was angry at myself and Edwards, but I took it out on you and for that I am sorry.”

 

Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Draco raising a hand to touch him, but he backed off, knowing that if he allowed himself to give in to his baser desires, they wouldn’t get anything done. A brief look of frustration crossed Draco's face, but he said nothing. Harry recalled seeing Draco's fingers twitching towards him the night before and had to figure that this frustration was real, but he couldn’t allow himself to become distracted. There was one thing standing out in Harry’s mind and he would say it, whether Draco wanted to hear it or not.

 

“You trust me, right?” He knew the answer, but wanted to hear it anyway.

 

“You know I do.” There was a slight edge to Draco's voice and he leant back against the wall behind him, his arms crossed across his chest in an obviously defensive gesture. “I wouldn’t have come this far otherwise.”

 

Harry nodded, his stomach fluttering again. His eyes ran unconsciously up Draco's legs. The pinstripes on his trousers made his legs look impossibly long, but Harry continued on, licking his lips out of nervous habit as his gaze stopped on Draco's crossed arms.

 

“I know that I have a habit of not being able to see past my own problems and I understand why your anger was aimed at me yesterday. I assumed after I left yesterday that I should have just left you alone; that that was what you wanted.”

 

“Harry–”

 

“No, wait.” Harry held up a hand when Draco pushed off the wall and saw that brief flash of frustration cross his face again. “I am annoying to try to live with; Ginny always told me that. But the thing is, I don’t actually _try_ to be.” He backed off another few steps when Draco took a step towards him, determined to get what he wanted to say out now that he had started. “I’m not self-centred on purpose and I don’t actually try to piss you off. I know it comes across as if I do sometimes, but I _really_ don’t. And you were right: if you hadn’t gotten involved with me, then none of this would have happened–”

 

He let out a gasp as Draco moved, pinning him to the wooden wall behind him before he could back off again. Draco pressed close, one hand moving to tangle through Harry’s hair and the other landing on his hip, holding him in place. Sucking in a breath through his teeth caused Draco to smirk at him and move so their hips rested lightly together.

 

“You don’t get to look at me like that then back off when I try to act on it.”

 

Staring at Draco's lips as they formed the words, Harry’s heart began to race. “Like what?”

 

A tug on his hair forced Harry’s head and gaze up to meet Draco's eyes. “Like you want nothing more than to jump me right here and now.”

 

Harry’s tongue flicked out to wet his lips automatically. Sliding his hands up Draco's sides, he smiled.

 

“Like you’d object.”

 

The kiss that followed told Harry that Draco probably really wouldn’t have objected if he had tried. His mouth opened automatically to allow Draco to slide his tongue in and over his teeth. There was a slight edge of neediness to Draco's movements and Harry moved to try to soothe any worries he may have inadvertently caused, pulling Draco as close as he could get while they were still clothed. Draco broke the kiss and moved back a bit long before Harry was ready.

 

“You’re not annoying to live with.” Draco sounded completely breathless but Harry had no trouble understanding him. “And you are the least self-centred person I have ever met.”

 

Fighting against a blush that threatened to turn his face bright red, Harry opened his eyes to see Draco watching him intently. “But–”

 

“Damn it, Potter,” Draco nearly growled, moving to place his hands either side of Harry’s face. “Take the fucking compliment and shut the fuck up about it.”

 

Harry didn’t get time to respond before Draco was kissing him again. It was rough and harsh and sent Harry’s mind spinning with lust. Sliding his hands down Draco's back, he slipped them into the pockets of Draco's trousers, squeezing his arse and pressing them closer together at the same time. Draco broke away again, but Harry was expecting it this time.

 

“Harry…”

 

“I love you.”

 

There was laughter in Draco's voice as he responded, “I know.”

 

*~*

 

The eyes of the whole court were on Draco again as he moved from the plaintiff’s seats to the witness box. The difference this time, however, was that he felt as though he was ready for whatever Edwards could throw at him. There had been factors the day before that had influenced his behaviour and reactions, but not that day: he hadn’t been overcome with irrational jealousy, Molly Weasley hadn’t walked in on him and Harry, and his nerves were nowhere near as bad.

 

Of course, having just made out with Harry like a horny teenager must have been having an effect on his mood, he figured. Knowing that he hadn’t screwed things up with Harry had lifted a lot of the worry from his shoulders and left him feeling lighter than he had in a few days. There were things they still needed to speak about – James being one of the main ones – but the patch they had put over things that morning was going to hold, Draco was sure of it. He offered up his bland public smile as he sat down and met Edwards’ eyes.

 

“Let’s resume where we left off yesterday, shall we?”

 

Draco knew the question was rhetorical but he nodded regally anyway, watching to see Edwards’ reaction. A small frown knit Edwards’ eyebrows for a few seconds and Draco knew that if he hadn’t been watching for a reaction, he would have missed it. Before everything had blown up the day before, he had been looking forward to seeing how quick-witted Edwards was in the courtroom, but there was something in the back of Draco's mind now telling him that the confidence that Edwards had been showing was rooted solidly in his ability to unnerve Draco. By showing that he was no longer affected by the nerves or worries that he had been the day before, was it possible that Draco had turned the tables? Edwards glanced quickly to Ginevra, then back to Draco. Still watching him closely, Draco raised an eyebrow in question. Edwards seemed to collect himself quickly, his entire demeanour changing to what Draco recalled seeing from him the day before.

 

“Your presence at the Ministry’s Annual Ball.” Edwards turned and began a slow lap of the room, seeming to take the time to gather what he wanted to say. “It has already been established that the adulterous affair you are having with Mr. Potter is the reason you rushed backstage that night. Mrs. Potter was a woman under mounting stress. You had stolen her husband from under her nose and you were trying to take her children away from her. Her actions that night were prompted by love; a love of her husband despite everything you and he had put her through.”

 

“Objection.” Draco glanced over to see Richardson standing in the lawyer’s seats, a slightly bewildered look on his face. “Is there a reason my client has to be in the witness box if all that is going to happen is a recap of what Barrister Edwards believes to be the facts?” His voice was even, but carried a questioning tone that Draco could only agree with.

 

“Sustained. Barrister Edwards, if you have no further questions, release the witness.”

 

Edwards nodded. “Tell me, Mr. Malfoy, how long was it before you entered the backstage area that night?”

 

Draco shook his head. “It couldn’t have been longer than five minutes after she began to scream.”

 

“Five minutes is a long time to leave the man you purportedly love to an unknown fate. Are you sure that’s how long it took you to move?”

 

“Obviously I wasn’t running on a timer. I stayed put as long as I could bear before moving to check on Harry. I had made promises that night that I had every intention of not breaking. Staying away from Ginevra’s machinations was one of those promises.”

 

“Let’s assume that your estimate of five minutes is correct then.” Draco had to resist a smile when he realised Edwards intended to ignore the rest of his statement. “With Mrs. Potter’s screams being audible through the entire ballroom, there had to have been others who were at least curious as to what was going on; the ballroom was filled with Aurors and Ministry workers, after all. Are you telling me that in that whole five minutes, not one single one of them stood and tried to see what was going on? That you were the only person in that whole ballroom who walked backstage?”

 

The parts of the night before he was hit with the curses were clear in Draco's mind and he was absolutely certain that he had been the only person standing in that doorway that night. The question now was how to get that point across to Edwards and the Wizengamot without Edwards interrupting him.

 

“The Aurors that night each had specific duties.”

 

“That is not what I asked, Mr. Malfoy.”

 

“I am answering your question, Barrister Edwards, if you will allow me.”

 

Edwards eyed him for a few seconds before waving a hand. Draco took a deep breath, prepared to be interrupted at any second if he said something Edwards disliked.

 

“I would assume that each of the Aurors on duty that night was highly trained in their duties. They had been tasked with protecting the highest ranking members of both the Ministry and the Wizengamot, after all. From my understanding, abandoning your posting while on duty isn’t part of an Auror’s training.”

 

“How do you know that you were the only one standing in Mrs. Potter’s line of sight that night, Mr. Malfoy?”

 

Draco bit back a smile. It was obvious that Edwards had realised that he had lost the edge that he had had the day before; that he knew he could no longer unnerve Draco with his interruptions. A sense of triumph washed through Draco's chest, but he repressed it, knowing his testimony was not over just yet.

 

“Because the Aurors present that night were on duty. I saw no one else standing in that doorway, or else I would have moved sooner.”

 

“You saw no one else.” Edwards was moving again, but Draco thought that it was more out of habit this time than any attempt to throw him off his train of thought. “We are taking the word of a Death Eater–”

 

“Objection!” Richardson’s voice was much stronger this time. “The entire Malfoy family was cleared of any wrong doing after the end of the War.”

 

“On the testimony of the great _Harry Potter_ ,” Edwards sneered back at Richardson before turning to glance between Draco and Harry. “Were you already together at that stage? Has your entire life been a sham?”

 

Draco had no idea which one of them Edwards was addressing, but his head whipped around so he could meet Harry’s eyes. The anger he saw there nearly caused Draco to step out of the witness box so he could physically prevent Harry from acting on it, but it seemed that it was unnecessary. Staring into Harry’s eyes, Draco shook his head, willing him to not rise to the bait Edwards was laying. Harry didn’t react for a few seconds, simply staring straight back at Draco. Eventually, he took a breath and slumped back against his seat. He was still casting murderous looks at Edwards, but no longer looked as though he was about to storm the floor and beat him senseless.

 

“Silence!”

 

Focussed as he was on Harry, the shout of the Chief Warlock caused Draco to jump. He closed his eyes and sat back in his own seat, mentally collecting himself before reopening them. Edwards and Richardson stood toe-to-toe in the middle of the floor, just in front of Ginevra, looking as though they were about to start the third wizarding War. For the second time in as many minutes, Draco was tempted to get up out of the witness box, this time to prevent Richardson from overextending himself and accidentally bringing on a heart attack; he was no longer a young man, after all. Thankfully, that proved unnecessary.

 

“I am sorely tempted to toss the two of you out of my courtroom,” the Chief Warlock stated. “One more outburst like this and you will both be ejected. Now, Barrister Edwards, we are all aware of the background Mr. Malfoy comes from. It is unnecessary to bring it up, as it has no effect on the current case. Barrister Richardson, while I appreciate your enthusiastic defence of your client, it is disruptive and redundant. A simple objection would have had the same effect on the court as your demonstration here has. Are we clear?”

 

Draco watched as the two lawyers nodded. Richardson turned and made his way back to his seat, but Edwards stood where he was, his hands still clenched by his sides. Draco had to wonder if he was trying to get the case thrown out of court now that he had realised that Draco was no longer rising to his bait either. It took a few seconds before Edwards reacted in any way other than simply standing and staring into space, but when he did, it was to shoot Draco a murderous glance.

 

“You _claim_ to have been the only one she could have been aiming at.” His expression changed completely as he turned to sweep his gaze over the Wizengamot, soft and almost pleading. “This case is based completely off the word of one man. Mrs. Potter is the only person who can tell us who she was actually aiming at that night, or if she even meant to aim at anyone. I am aware that Pensieve memories and Veritaserum testimonies are inadmissible, but really, how can we know the full truth here? This is merely a game of ‘he said, she said’.”

 

With that, he turned his back on the Wizengamot, his expression changing again to a sneer as he glanced over to where Richardson sat. To his credit, Richardson sat with a bland expression on his face, not even bothering to glance Edwards’ way. Draco bit his tongue to prevent a smile at the look on Richardson’s face before the Chief Warlock stood behind him.

 

“You may return to your seat, Mr. Malfoy.”

 

Draco stood and offered her a small bow before returning to his seat in the plaintiff’s box. Warmth spread quickly through Draco's chest when Harry’s hand immediately slid over to squeeze his fingers out of sight of the rest of the courtroom. A small buzz of conversation cropped up – Draco assumed because of the abruptness of the ending of his testimony – but he was more focussed on what was before him: the intangible but still quite profound sense of relief that it was over and out of his hands.

 

“The court shall break for recess.”

 

A tug on his hand had Draco standing and following Harry over to the small waiting room. He could sense a presence behind him and turned to find Richardson smiling widely at the two of them as he entered the room behind them.

 

“I would like to offer my congratulations, gentlemen,” Richardson began. “Mr. Malfoy, that was a perfect recovery from yesterday’s fiasco. It is now up to the Wizengamot and the Auror’s lawyer to finish the case and send her to prison. It is looking more and more unlikely that Edwards can pull off the miracle required for him to win this case and if he continues in the way he has been, then he will get himself thrown out of the courtroom, leaving Mrs. Potter defenceless.” He stepped forward and enthusiastically shook hands with both of them. “I shall see you both back in there.”

 

Draco turned to Harry with a small expectant smile the second the door closed behind Richardson. He was not disappointed. His smile widened as Harry drew him into a kiss. Now that they were alone, Draco could feel the sense of relief threatening to overwhelm him and he swayed into Harry, drawing him into a tight embrace.

 

“Dray…”

 

Not even Harry’s use of that ridiculous nickname could dampen the elation that was causing a huge smile to stretch across Draco's face. “We’ve got them, Harry.”

 

“ _Good_.”

 

The fierceness in Harry’s voice had Draco chuckling as he was drawn into another kiss. He wasn’t sure if ‘good’ was the word he would use, but as Harry seemed intent on clearing Draco's mind of anything other than him at that moment, he supposed it would do.


	45. Chapter 45

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel the need to apologise for the talkiness (which is now a word!) of this chapter. It'll get better next chapter ;)

_Better than Firewhisky._ Harry very clearly remembered the day he had used that phrase to describe kissing Ginny. The excitement – the _fire_ – that had left him trembling had died over the years, extinguished by his own lack of true desire for her. With Draco, on the other hand… A small touch here, a quick squeeze there and Harry was putty in Draco's hands. He wouldn’t have a problem with that, except that he knew that Draco knew exactly what kind of effect he had on him and seemed to take advantage of it as often as possible. Usually that wasn’t an issue, but standing in the waiting room of the court as they were, Harry knew he had to do something before he gave in to his baser instincts. As much as he wanted – _needed_ – Draco, there was no way they could pull off anything in this tiny room with the courtroom filling up just outside the door. He broke the kiss before his body could start to react to the stimulation he was feeding it. The small sound of protest Draco made in response almost had Harry changing his mind, but he gathered what little willpower he had left and pulled back.

 

“Harry…”

 

Draco swayed forward, his eyes still closed. He hadn’t released the almost death grip he had around Harry’s waist, making it impossible for Harry to move too far away from him. Not that Harry was objecting, but he cast a quick glance over to the door, knowing that they hadn’t locked it. Turning back to watch Draco closely, a small smile curved Harry’s lips upwards as he saw the signs of Draco trying to compose himself: the deep, steady breaths and clenching of his hands in the small of Harry’s back were a dead giveaway these days. When combined with the relief that was evident in Draco's body language, it was making it more and more difficult for Harry to do the right thing. Unwilling to lose the debauched look Draco currently had – with his mouth open and panting, his lips bruised, and his hair mussed – he leant in to nip lightly at Draco's bottom lip. He pulled back again, however, when Draco tried to draw him into another kiss.

 

“There’s still another testimony we have to listen to today.”

 

Draco groaned. “Bugger the testimony.”

 

Smiling even wider, Harry ran his thumbs lightly over Draco's prominent cheekbones. It had the effect of making Draco open his eyes to fix Harry with a slightly glazed look. Harry’s stomach fluttered in response, but his common sense prevailed. No matter how much his stomach fluttered with the knowledge of how easily he could break down the walls Draco put up, he knew he had to compose himself. He pressed one last, small kiss to Draco's lips before breaking the grip Draco had on him and stepping back properly.

 

“We didn’t even lock the door.”

 

Draco's eyes narrowed, but he ran his hands over his hair and clothing, mumbling charms to straighten everything. “Since when are _you_ so discrete?”

 

Harry opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted by a sharp rap on the door. Shooting Draco his best ‘I told you so’ look, Harry moved over to open the door. He was greeted by Barrister Richardson, who was prudently not even looking at Harry, let alone into the room behind him.

 

“Court is about to resume.” His voice was low, but Harry was sure that he could hear a lot less of the worry he had become so accustomed to over the past few days beneath his professional tone. “You have about two minutes.”

 

Harry thanked him and turned back towards Draco. Standing exactly where Harry had left him, Draco now looked as immaculate as ever, with his hair and clothing as near to perfect as they got. Shaking his head, Harry ran the same charms over his own clothing, noting that they never really worked as well for him as they did for Draco. An amused huff of breath had him looking up in time to see Draco stop just in front of him. A light shiver ran down Harry’s spine as Draco ran his hands along his collar and over his shoulders, muttering the charms that would straighten his robes properly. Harry eyed Draco suspiciously when he smirked at him as he finished.

 

“How come they work correctly for you but not me?”

 

“Practice, Potter.” Draco finished and met Harry’s eyes, his smirk still firmly in place. “However, if you continue to look at me like that, practice at these charms won’t be of any help for what I will do to you.”

 

His voice was low, sending a shiver straight through Harry’s stomach. There was another rap on the door before Harry could react, causing him to jump and Draco's smirk to widen into a full grin.

 

“It’s time, gentlemen.”

 

Leaning close for a few seconds, ostensibly so he could reach the doorknob, Draco brushed his fingers under Harry’s chin. “Deep breaths Potter. You wouldn’t want them all to see you so flustered, would you?”

 

Silently cursing the day Draco had been born, Harry did as instructed: closing his eyes, he took slow, deep breaths in an attempt to calm his racing heart. He had no idea how the hell Draco had managed to turn the tables on him so quickly, reversing their positions with a few well-chosen sentences, but he swore there and then that he would make him pay.

 

It took him a few seconds before he trusted himself enough to walk back out into the courtroom. It was filling rapidly with members of the Wizengamot, friends and family members, as well as the press. The stream of witches and wizards made it difficult for Harry to cross the floor to the plaintiff’s seats, meaning he didn’t realise that he and Draco had been moved up into the stands for the Auror’s testimonies until he was standing in front of the plaintiff’s seats.

 

“Wotcher, boss!”

 

Harry almost jumped at the too-cheerful sound of Alexa Reynolds’ voice. Staring dumbly at her and Kyle Gould sitting in the seats he and Draco had occupied before the break, it was a couple of seconds before Harry responded.

 

“Alex, Kyle, how are you both?” He stepped forward to shake hands with both of them. “And it’s just Harry now.”

 

Gould chuckled. “Sure it is, boss.”

 

“Court will come to order.”

 

Nodding to the both of them, Harry made his way up into the stands, his eyes frantically seeking Draco. He found him in the second row, sitting just behind Richardson with an empty seat beside him. Harry found he had to repress a smile as he took his seat, earning himself a strange look from Draco.

 

“Edwards looks scared.”

 

The whispered words caused Harry’s head to snap around to where Ginny’s lawyer sat. His thin lips were pressed together, his hands clenched in his lap and his foot was tapping a staccato rhythm on the tiled floor. Harry frowned as he turned back to Draco.

 

“That doesn’t mean that we’ll have an easy time of it.”

 

“You think it will make him come out fighting?”

 

Harry settled back into his seat before meeting Draco's eyes. “You never know. He’s good enough to be representing Ginny in this case. That means he must have previously done something to warrant earning a case as high-profile as this one. Richardson can’t have been the only lawyer she was trying to hire and I would assume Edwards was her second choice. He’s good; you just irritated him by not reacting the way he was counting on.” He grinned when Draco's eyes narrowed at him. “It was brilliant to watch.”

 

Harry’s grin widened as he watched Draco react to the words. It wouldn’t have been too obvious to anyone unused to watching him as closely as Harry was, but he could easily see the surprise in Draco's widening eyes. The Ministry’s lawyer stood and crossed to stand in front of the Wizengamot before Draco could respond, effectively ending their whispered conversation.

 

“The prosecution would like to call Kyle Gould to the stand.”

 

The urge to grab Draco's hand nearly overwhelmed Harry as he watched Gould stepping up to the witness box, but he repressed it, knowing they didn’t have any kind of physical barrier between them and the prying eyes of everyone else in the courtroom. Gould appeared calm, which Harry was thankful for. Gould had known Ginny for as long as he had known Harry and a tiny sliver of doubt that he would want to testify against a woman he had seen as a friend had made its way into Harry’s mind. It seemed that the worry was unfounded, however. The lawyer – a woman Harry had never met before – managed to surprise Harry by diving right into the questioning rather than easing into it like Richardson had done.

 

“Auror Gould, you were one of three Aurors who were the first responders to the commotion on the night of the Ministry Annual Ball, correct?”

 

“Yes, Auror Reynolds and I were the first to spot and restrain her. Auror Christiansen arrived just after us and confiscated a potion vial.”

 

“Could you describe what happened, starting with the second you spotted Mrs. Potter?”

 

Gould took a deep breath before responding. “Auror Reynolds and I had been assigned to patrol the backstage area after the Ministry had received a tipoff that there could be trouble during Auror – sorry – _Mr._ Potter’s retirement speech. We were told to patrol in pairs, just in case. We had just finished a sweep of the backstage area and were making our way back out towards the stage when I spotted her. Mrs. Potter was crouching in the doorway that led to the stage, a potion vial in her hand. Mr. Potter was giving his speech onstage and the doorway Mrs. Potter was standing in was where he would exit the stage. Without thinking, I reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder, thinking that because we had been friends, it wouldn’t be too much of a surprise. It was a stupid mistake; one that I shouldn’t have made, considering the warning we had been given. Mrs. Potter flung her arm out, knocking my wand to the floor before she tried to make an escape. Standard procedure was then used to attempt to subdue Mrs. Potter. Auror Reynolds caught hold of her as she tried to rush past her. Mrs. Potter began to struggle wildly as we tried to restrain her, kicking and lashing out with her arms as well as screaming at the top of her lungs. I positioned myself behind her shoulders in order to pin her arms to her sides while Auror Reynolds restrained her legs. Auror Christiansen appeared a few seconds later and confiscated the vial Mrs. Potter had dropped in the struggle. People started flooding in after that, including Mr. Potter. Once she saw him, Mrs. Potter started struggling even more. I couldn’t quite reach my wand, since it had rolled beneath Mrs. Potter and I didn’t want to take the chance of releasing her in case she got away. Unfortunately, when I slipped my hand over her mouth to prevent her from speaking, she bit down and I dropped her anyway. I overbalanced with the sudden weight shift and she managed to grab my wand before I could. Auror Reynolds was the one who Stunned Mrs. Potter, but she had already managed to cast a couple of curses at Mr. Malfoy, who was standing in the doorway to the ballroom. Mr. Potter took Mr. Malfoy to St. Mungo’s and we hauled Mrs. Potter off to lockup for the night so she could be transferred the next day to a more secure facility.”

 

Silence filled the court after Gould finished speaking. Harry realised he was holding his breath when Draco nudged him in the ribs. He let the breath out in a whoosh just before the lawyer spoke again.

 

“Ginevra Potter bit you and kicked out at you as you attempted to restrain her?”

 

“She did. I had my hand checked out at the hospital, but there was no serious damage.”

 

“And it was _definitely_ your wand Mrs. Potter used to curse Mr. Malfoy?”

 

“Yes, I am sure of it.”

 

“Thank you, Auror Gould.” The lawyer turned to Edwards. “Your witness.”

 

Edwards strode out of his seat with all the confidence Harry would expect from a lawyer who knew he was going to win his case. “How can you be sure that it was your wand? You said yourself that the situation was hectic, with Mrs. Potter struggling to break your hold on her and people streaming in from the ballroom. It could very well have been Mrs. Potter’s own wand.”

 

“Standard procedure whenever a civilian is injured with what is suspected to be an Auror’s wand is to cast _Prior Incantato_ on the Auror’s wand. Mrs. Potter took my wand to cast those curses.”

 

“You stated that Mrs. Potter was kicking and lashing out. How can you be certain that any of it was aimed at you or Auror Reynolds?”

 

“We were the only ones there–”

 

“Did you ever give any thought to the fact that she could have been defending herself from what she saw as attackers?”

 

“No, we–”

 

“Being grabbed from behind by someone you did not know was there is usually enough to cause most people to lash out at their attacker. Did you identify yourselves to her?”

 

“The uniform is universally recognisable, especially by an Auror’s wife. Once she saw the uniforms, if she had wanted to stop, then she would have–”

 

“So you didn’t–”

 

“Standard procedure was followed.” Harry’s eyes widened as Gould interrupted Edwards, his voice strong and authoritative. “If it appears as though the criminal is attempting to injure a member of the Corps, you verbally inform them of your identity. If that does not subdue them, you are then permitted to physically subdue them.”

 

“Yes,” Harry whispered, leaning forward as adrenalin pumped through his veins. It sounded like Gould and Reynolds had done things the correct way to him: this was straight out of the basics manual. “Good.”

 

“This woman had just been startled by being grabbed from behind when she had thought she was alone. Are you telling me that having the same person who had startled her yelling at her would have broken through her panic? That she would have recognised that you were someone she had met before?”

 

“Once her panic died down, she would have–”

 

“That is mere supposition.”

 

Harry’s hands clenched when Edwards didn’t allow Gould to speak, just as he had with Draco. A light touch to the small of his back had him glancing behind him. Draco wasn’t looking at him and his face was a carefully blank mask, but it was definitely his hand resting warmly on Harry’s back. Leaning back in his seat, Harry slid his fingers along Draco's arm until he could lace their fingers together behind his back. He could see Draco's eyes flick over towards him and offered up a small smile. Draco squeezed his fingers before withdrawing his hand and returning his attention to the case.

 

“Panic and fear have the effect of making a person irrational. As an Auror, you must know that. Mrs. Potter was operating on pure adrenalin when you and Auror Reynolds attempted to subdue her. After everything she had been through over the past two months, being seemingly attacked as she waited for her husband to finish his retirement speech pushed her just that little bit too far.” Edwards turned a smarmy smile on the Wizengamot. “This was self-defence, nothing more.”

 

“Thank you, Auror Gould, you may step down.” The Chief Warlock stood as Edwards made his way back to his seat. “Barrister Leung, call your next witness.”

 

Harry took the few seconds that it took for Barrister Leung to make her way back out into the middle of the floor to run his eyes over her. She looked cold and professional, just like every other Ministry lawyer he had ever met: her Ministry-issued deep blue robes had a patch on the left breast pocket that identified her as being employed by the Ministry; her long, straight black hair was piled in a complicated twist on the top of her head and her sensible heels tapped on the tiles as she walked. All in all, Harry got the impression that she would take absolutely no shit from anyone.

 

“The prosecution calls Auror Alexa Reynolds.”

 

Reynolds looked composed as she made her way down to the seat Gould had just vacated. Harry’s nerves jumped and he clenched his hands again but made no other reaction, aware that he was most likely being watched.

 

“Auror Reynolds, could you tell the court what happened the night of the Ministry Annual Ball from your perspective?”

 

Nodding, Reynolds smiled. “Auror Gould and I were patrolling the backstage area while Mr. Potter was giving his retirement speech. Kyle was the first to spot Mrs. Potter; I didn’t realise she was there until after he had reached out to her. When she swung her arm and knocked Kyle’s wand from his hand, I identified myself and grabbed her before she could exit the room. With the way she started flailing around, there wasn’t all that much we could do other than hold her so she didn’t manage to hurt either us or her. I was kicked a few times in the struggle, but nothing serious. It _was_ Kyle’s wand that Mrs. Potter took after she bit him; I saw her grab it once she struggled free. She cast a couple of non-verbal spells at someone behind me; I didn’t have a clear line of sight to the door, so I didn’t know what had happened until later when I saw Mr. Potter carrying Mr. Malfoy just before he Apparated to the hospital. Once she was on the floor again, I was able to Stun her and Kyle and I hauled her off to the cells for the night.”

 

“You definitely identified yourself to Mrs. Potter before attempting to subdue her?”

 

“Yes ma’am. Standard procedure was followed at every stage during this arrest. I stated my name and rank clearly to Mrs. Potter as I stepped in front of her to prevent her from leaving. When she continued to attempt to leave, I grabbed her. That was when she began thrashing and kicking.”

 

“Tell me, Auror Reynolds, did you see any indications that Mrs. Potter was suffering from some kind of mania? Anything that indicated that she had either not heard or not understood you when you identified yourself?”

 

“I–”

 

“Objection, supposition!”

 

Barrister Leung turned immediately to face the Chief Warlock. “Aurors are trained to spot signs of danger in the people they approach. They learn to read their suspects’ body language to make certain that they don’t place themselves in any unnecessary danger. Auror Reynolds is therefore qualified to say whether she believes that Mrs. Potter was suffering from a manic episode.”

 

The Chief Warlock sat staring between Leung and Edwards, obviously tossing the two ideas around. Unable to help it, Harry leant forward to rest his elbows on his knees again. His muscles twitched with anticipation as he waited for the Chief Warlock to speak again.

 

“I shall allow Auror Reynolds to answer, but the court is reminded that she is not a qualified psychologist.”

 

Edwards rolled his eyes and Harry grinned. Still leaning forward with his hands clenched, Harry turned his attention back to Reynolds.

 

“What I saw in Mrs. Potter’s body language told me that she was scared and angry, but not manic. She flinched when I identified myself. That was when she really started trying to resist us and when I made the decision that she needed restraining.”

 

“Thank you, Auror Reynolds. Your witness.”

 

Edwards strode out of his seat again, still looking confident. “Your emotions dictate your actions; that is a known fact. Standing in front of a woman who had just been startled by your partner, you could easily tell that Mrs. Potter was scared and angry. She was being confronted by two Aurors in full uniform; two Aurors who were friends with her estranged husband. Is there not even the slightest possibility that Mrs. Potter was acting solely on her emotions? That they were making her behave irrationally?”

 

“Well…” Reynolds paused, clearly considering Edwards’ words and Harry’s nerves jumped. “It is obviously _possible_ that what I saw was Mrs. Potter acting solely on instinct. I believe that her consequent actions cancel out that possibility, though.”

 

“How long would say passed between the second Auror Gould placed his hand on Mrs. Potter’s shoulder to the time you Stunned her?”

 

“It must have only been a few minutes.”

 

“And, in your experience, how long does it usually take for a person who is suffering from a mental condition to calm themselves down?”

 

“Objection! As Barrister Edwards has clearly stated, Auror Reynolds is not a psychologist.”

 

“Yet she was perfectly capable of giving her opinion when you asked.”

 

Harry glanced between Edwards standing in the middle of the floor near Ginny and Leung, who was sitting calmly in her seat. Edwards appeared to be just as frustrated as when Richardson had stymied his attempts at discrediting Harry and Draco; Leung must have been the calmest lawyer Harry had ever seen. The contrast would have been fascinating if the stakes of this case weren’t so high for him.

 

“There is a rather large difference between the two questions asked of Auror Reynolds, Barrister Edwards. Your question would be more appropriately addressed to an actual psychologist. Objection upheld.”

 

Edwards scowled at the Chief Warlock for the briefest of moments before turning to face Ginny. From his vantage point in the stands, Harry still had a good view of Edwards’ face and what he saw caused excitement to race through his veins: with a slight shake of his head, Edwards offered Ginny a helpless look. This was the first time that he had truly had the hope that they would be able to pull off this case with every charge falling on their side. Sitting back in his seat again, he automatically glanced over at Draco with an excited grin on his face. The smile that Draco offered up almost had Harry laughing in response. He returned his attention to the floor again when Edwards spoke.

 

“You had no view of the doorway in which Mr. Malfoy stood, you did not see Auror Gould place his hand on Mrs. Potter’s shoulder, and the only useful information you have offered up is speculation on Mrs. Potter’s mental state.”

 

“I–”

 

“I would ask the court to please remember that everything that we have been told about Mrs. Potter’s mental state up to this point has been given by people who are unqualified to give such opinions.”

 

Harry scowled when Edwards spoke loudly over the top of Reynolds’ indignant-sounding retort. The Chief Warlock stood as Edwards returned to his seat.

 

“Thank you, Auror Reynolds, you may return to your seat.” A small buzz of conversation stated as Reynolds changed seats again and the Chief Warlock cleared her throat for silence. “Court shall adjourn for the day. We shall resume at 9am tomorrow.”

 

Harry sat still in his seat as the courtroom slowly began to empty. It really seemed to him that they were making headway on disproving Edwards’ claim that Ginny had been suffering from mental issues the night of the Annual Ball, but it would be the next day that would really make the difference. With Ginny testifying herself and being cross-examined by both Leung and Richardson, it would prove to be an interesting day. He jumped when Draco's hand slid over his thigh.

 

“Harry?”

 

Turning to look into Draco's eyes reminded Harry that before he had to deal with Ginny’s testimony, he had to sort out the issues he had been having with Draco. He also knew he had to go pick up his children from the Burrow and that he had to speak to James before he could speak to Draco. It looked like that day was going to be incredibly long when all he really wanted right at that moment was to fall into a boneless heap. He let out a small sigh and nodded as he covered Draco's hand with his own.

 

“I know we have to talk. Are you willing to wait until tonight?” Harry watched Draco eyeing the last of the stragglers leave the courtroom. “That will give me time to get the kids sorted out and have a word with James myself.”

 

Draco waited until the last person had left the courtroom before reacting. Leaning forward, he brushed his lips lightly over Harry’s, sending a tendril of desire down Harry’s spine.

 

“I’ll floo in at nine.”


	46. Chapter 46

Nine o’clock was approaching way too fast for Harry. Not because he didn’t want to see Draco – he had been craving getting his hands on him damn near all day after all – but because he knew he had to have a serious talk with James before Draco arrived. Having a private word with any one of his children while the other two were around was always a difficult thing to do, unfortunately. James and Albus tended to get along well enough to play board games together or, when Lily was in the same room, embark on a game of ‘who can annoy Dad the fastest?’

 

They hadn’t managed to get away from the Burrow until close to eight, with Molly insisting that the kids go home with full stomachs. As much as Harry appreciated the idea that she wanted to help look after them, it left him with just over an hour to get the two youngest settled and to talk with James before Draco showed up. It had taken him close to twenty minutes to distract Al enough for him to want to stay in his room before he could move onto Lily.

 

“Come on, Lil, it’s nearly half eight.”

 

“So?”

 

“So that’s late enough for you to be in bed. You don’t have to sleep; you can stay up and read if you want.”

 

“Where’s James?

 

Harry almost sighed in resignation. Lily was way too perceptive for her own good sometimes. He smiled instead as he sat down on the end of her bed.

 

“He’s in the living room.”

 

“Uh huh.” Lily slid her legs under the covers and sat staring at him with her arms crossed across her chest. “Is he in trouble?”

 

“No, I just need to talk with him about something, then he’ll be coming up to his own room.” Harry pulled the covers back far enough so Lily could slide under properly. “Do you want me to grab you a book?”

 

Lily eyed him for a few seconds, looking very much like she wanted to continue interrogating him, before lying down with a put-upon sigh. “The Hobbit, please.”

 

Harry closed the door softly behind him after handing over the book, thankful that Lily was easier to distract than Al. A huge sense of reluctance crept through him as he made his way down to the living room where James waited, but he pushed it aside as much as possible.

 

“Alright Jamie?”

 

Harry heard a deep sigh from the lounge and he had to step around it to see James. Lying sprawled along the lounge, he raised an eyebrow as Harry took a seat on one of the chairs beside the fire.

 

“You don’t really think I don’t know that you’ve taken Al and Lily upstairs so you can yell at me do you?”

 

“I’m not going to yell at you, Jamie.”

 

That had always been more Ginny’s thing than his and even then it had been a last resort when one of the kids had simply refused to listen. Having grown up in a household where it was perfectly acceptable for the adults to scream at the children when they did something wrong – or not in his case – Harry had vowed to not raise his children in the same environment. Leaning back in the chair, Harry ran a hand through his hair. He was about to speak again when James sat up with a hopeful look on his face.

 

“So I’m not in trouble?”

 

Harry huffed out an amused sound. “I said I wasn’t going to yell, not that you weren’t in trouble.” He couldn’t help smiling as James’ face fell. “I do really want you to be able to get along with Draco.”

 

James sighed and threw himself backwards on the lounge, landing as spreadeagled as he could get with the odd angles the lounge forced on his limbs. “What… What happens if I can’t?”

 

Harry’s heart sank as the cautious happiness that had been spreading through him faded rapidly. The fear that James would decide that he couldn’t deal with this relationship had been playing on Harry’s mind over the past few days, but he had squashed it after seeing how well James and Draco had gotten along on the Quidditch pitch a few days before. The idea of losing the first person he had truly loved caused Harry’s skin to crawl and he flexed his shoulders in an attempt to stop the feeling creeping along his spine.

 

“Is there some reason you believe you can’t?” Harry asked slowly, keeping his voice carefully neutral.

 

James sighed again, this time adding an awkward-looking shrug of his shoulders. “I don’t know. It’s like I’m betraying Mum by being nice to him.”

 

Harry nodded. He knew he could never know what this felt like to James, simply because he hadn’t had any true parental figures in his life until he was eleven years old and that fact was making trying to work out what to do about this even more difficult. He couldn’t use his fall back helpline on this one either: while Molly had been making progress in understanding about him and Draco, Harry knew she wasn’t at the point where he could ask her this kind of thing. Shaking his head, he leant forward so his forearms rested on his thighs.

 

“She’ll always be your Mum, James, no matter what she’s done or where she is because of that. I wouldn’t want to try to replace her with someone else in your lives because that would just make you resent whoever it was I was trying to force on you. Draco…” He shook his head again, unable to put what he was thinking into words. “Draco isn’t even replacing her in my life. They occupy completely different roles in my mind. Your loyalty will always be with your Mum over anyone else who happens to come along; that’s natural and I wouldn’t want to discourage it. All I’m asking is that you give Draco a chance to find a place in your life. Not the one your Mum has, just _somewhere_.”

 

Surprise flittered through Harry at just how difficult he found it to encourage James to still be loyal to his Mother. Telling himself firmly that Ginny hadn’t treated their children as poorly as she had treated him wasn’t helping in the least, because images of Lily’s tear-streaked face kept interrupting the thoughts. That bitch didn’t know how incredibly lucky she was to have the children she did and she had squandered the opportunity to spend quality time with them in favour of her latest lay. Swallowing down the bitterness that rose in him, Harry gave himself a mental shake just before James responded.

 

“Different spaces,” he mumbled thoughtfully.

 

A stubborn spark of hope lit in Harry’s chest and he sat back in his chair again, watching James on the lounge. He had inherited his Mother’s long legs and at that moment they were sprawled over the arm of the lounge in what looked to be an incredibly uncomfortable position. Debating whether he should speak again or not, Harry almost jumped when James suddenly sat up.

 

“Lily and Al get along with him fine, why isn’t that enough?”

 

“Because I want you to be happy as well.”

 

“I am happy with the way things are.” Waving his hands in what looked to be frustration at Harry’s inability to understand what he was saying, James pinned Harry with a pleading look. “This whole thing is _huge_ and it was just dumped on me without any warning! I can’t–”

 

He stood and stomped over to the window, staring out at the darkness outside. Due to the fact that he sometimes seemed so much older than his twelve years, it was easy for Harry to forget just how young James actually was, but watching as his son wrapped both arms around his middle, Harry was sharply reminded. He stood and moved to place a hand on James’ shoulder.

 

“I’m sorry, Jamie.” It took a few seconds, but James eventually turned and accepted the comfort Harry was waiting to offer. “I should have realised what was going on and why you were so upset.”

 

Guilt washed through Harry’s chest as he felt James trembling. He and Draco had moved incredibly fast with this relationship and James and Al had not seen it develop into what they currently had. Add that on top of the revelation that his Mother was apparently not the person he had believed her to be and it was a wonder that James had only been lashing out in the way he had been.

 

“I know that you love him, Dad, and I don’t actually want to ruin that.” James’ voice was muffled by Harry’s shirt, but Harry could hear the thickness in it that he hoped wasn’t caused by tears. “I got angry when I knew you were upset because of something he had done and I just lost it. Lily isn’t happy because of what Mum’s done, Grandma is always sad about it as well even though she tries to hide it around us and Uncle George seems so _angry_ all the time. I want my family back.”

 

A sharp pain jabbed straight through Harry’s chest that left him fighting back tears of his own. This was a feeling he had gotten to know too well himself over the past two months, although for an entirely different reason. Trying not to jostle James too much, he moved them over so they were both sitting on the lounge and began murmuring bits of nonsense in James’ ear in the hope of soothing him. He knew, however, that nothing he could say would be of any comfort to him.

 

“Things will settle down again eventually, I swear.” Hearing James snort out a disbelieving laugh had Harry smiling a little himself. “I know it seems hopeless now, but this will pass and everything will go back to being at least close to what it was like before this all happened.”

 

“You promise?”

 

Harry let out a sound that was half-sigh, half-laugh. “Jamie, if I could take all this hurt away, I would in a heartbeat. I’ll talk to your sister and your Grandma and even your Uncle George if he’ll listen to me once all this is over and try to sort things out. I want everyone back to normal just as much as you do, believe me.”

 

The only sounds in the room following this statement were James’ sniffles and the crackling of the fire. Harry ran his hand down James’ back absentmindedly as he waited for a response.

 

“I’m sorry I lost my temper.”

 

Smiling, Harry actually laughed this time. “It’s not me you need to apologise to.”

 

James sighed. “I know.”

 

*~*

 

Following the sound of his Mother’s laughter, Draco wandered into the living room of the Manor to find that the furniture had been spelled to the sides of the room. His parents stood together in the centre of the room in a formal waltzing position, smiling at each other as though they were the only two in the world. Unable to help the smile that spread across his face, Draco ducked his head before muttering apologies for interrupting and turning to leave.

 

“Nonsense, Draco dear,” his Mother called, causing him to stop just outside the door. “Do come in and have a drink.”

 

He only just managed to get the smile under control before he turned to meet his Mother’s eyes. The happiness he saw there caused it to return, however, and Narcissa smiled wide back at him as she moved over to the sideboard.

 

“Brandy?”

 

“Please.”

 

Standing just inside the door, Draco waited until his Father had waved his wand, sending the furniture back into the original positions before he moved. His Mother handed him a snifter on her way past to take her seat beside Lucius on the lounge, then indicated that he should sit on one of the free chairs. She gave him just enough time to take a sip of his drink before speaking.

 

“Are you not going to Grimmauld tonight?”

 

Draco nearly inhaled the brandy, surprised as he was that she would open with such a question. Narcissa merely smiled as Draco coughed a few times. “I’m not due there until nine. Harry has the kids to get sorted – they’ve been at their Grandparent’s house all day – and…” He paused, clearing his throat before he could start rambling. “Harry and I have things to discuss tonight.”

 

Silence followed this and Draco ducked his head again, staring into his drink. He had no idea what motivation his parents could possibly have to be asking about his relationship as they had never shown any interest before this. The liquid swirled around in circles as he swished his glass, but it didn’t give him any answers. He glanced up through his eyelashes when he heard a whisper. Lucius was frowning at Narcissa as she placed a well-timed elbow in his ribs.

 

“Draco, your Mother and I have been talking and…”

 

Lucius trailed off, looking incredibly uncomfortable. Draco raised his head properly so he could give his Father his full attention, but that seemed to only make Lucius even more uncomfortable. Glancing over to his Mother, Draco raised an enquiring eyebrow.

 

Narcissa sighed. “What your Father is _trying_ to say is that you have our blessing. We may not agree with you that he is the best choice for you, but we have seen over the past few days just how happy he makes you. If this is what you want, then you have our support.”

 

How long Draco sat frozen on the chair just staring into the middle distance between him and his parents, he had no idea. This was something he had never imagined having to deal with and he had no idea how to react. He almost jumped when his Mother spoke again.

 

“Draco?”

 

Blinking his eyes into focus again, he looked at both of them, an uncontrollable smile spreading across his face again. “Thank you; both of you. I know how difficult this relationship has been for you to accept, but knowing I – _we_ – have your approval means a lot.”

 

Lucius still looked incredibly uncomfortable, so Draco lowered his gaze to his glass again, not wanting to make the situation worse. No one in his family were really used to dealing with emotions in this way and the fact that they were speaking about Harry was probably only making it worse. Thankfully, they did not have to sit there in silence for long, as the clock in the lobby of the Manor chimed nine after a few minutes. Draco downed the last of his drink before standing.

 

“I’ll see you both tomorrow morning for the ending of the trial.” Nerves fluttered through him briefly, but the idea of what was waiting for him on the other side of the floo connection quickly squashed them. His Mother offered up a small smile as he threw the powder into the fire, which Draco readily returned with a nod of his head. “Good night.”

 

The warm feeling he had gotten from the conversation with his parents spread further through him as he stepped through into Grimmauld. Harry and James were sitting together on the lounge, a game of Exploding Snap sitting on a coffee table in front of them. Knowing that they had had their difficulties over the past few weeks, Draco figured that seeing the two of them sitting peacefully together was a good sign. It wasn’t until James stood and met his eyes that he saw the tell-tale signs of tears. James spoke before Draco could ask what was wrong.

 

“I’m sorry I yelled at you. You probably didn’t deserve it as much as I thought you did at the time. I hope you can accept this apology and we can start over.”

 

The words sounded a little formal to have come straight from James, but Draco ignored that fact. He was simply grateful that it seemed that he would have the opportunity to make a second impression on James.

 

“Of course, I would like that chance very much.”

 

Unsure of what to expect next, Draco glanced over to Harry, who was watching the interaction closely. The redness of Harry’s eyes and his slumped shoulders told Draco that the talk between him and James had taken its toll on him. Sympathy caused his chest to ache but before he could do anything, James took Harry’s attention away again.

 

“I’m going up to bed now. Goodnight.”

 

He leant over the coffee table and wrapped his arms around Harry’s shoulders. Draco could hear Harry murmuring something in James’ ear, but it was inaudible. Given the signs he had made out that indicated that Harry had had a rough time of it that night, Draco was unsurprised when Harry stood and practically fell into his arms the second James was out of sight. Wrapping his arms tightly around Harry’s waist, Draco merely held him, waiting until Harry was comfortable enough to tell him what had happened. He was rewarded for his patience when he felt the tension slowly draining out of Harry’s muscles.

 

“Harry?”

 

“I’m fine.”

 

“No, you’re not.”

 

Harry huffed out a humourless laugh. “No, but I will be.” He pulled back far enough so their eyes met. “I know I’ve already said it, but I’m also sorry I was such an idiot.”

 

“As am I. Apparently I don’t deal with stress that well.”

 

All thoughts of having a serious discussion with Harry that night flew from Draco's mind as Harry captured his lips in a soft kiss. A whole two days’ worth of built-up desire and need seemed to catch up with him in that moment and Draco adjusted his stance, moving so he could slip a thigh between Harry’s legs. Harry let out a sound that was a cross between a laugh and a moan and rocked his hips in response, spurring Draco on. Tightening the grip he had on Harry’s waist and concentrating, Draco broke the kiss just before managing to Apparate them up into the bedroom.

 

“You’re going to manage to splinch me doing that one day.”

 

Draco grinned and slid his hands down to grab hold of Harry’s arse, pressing them together closely. “As long as the important parts are fine, I see no problems.”

 

Harry’s laugh rumbled through Draco's chest as he leant forward to rest their foreheads together. “I love you.”

 

“Show me.”

 

Seeming to take the words as a challenge, Harry pressed forward until Draco's back hit one of the posts of the bed. He didn’t give Draco any time to adjust to their new position before bringing their lips together in a harsh kiss. Draco groaned as desire rocked through him, but it was cut short when Harry’s hand slid down to cup him through his trousers. His breath left him in a rush as Harry began to massage him in long, slow strokes. Slipping his tongue into the heat of Harry’s mouth added to the sensations and Draco allowed himself to enjoy the slightly lightheaded feeling it produced. He almost whined when Harry broke the kiss.

 

“Breathe, Draco. You don’t get to pass out until I’m done with you.”

 

The desire evident in Harry’s voice sent shivers through Draco's body. He obediently gulped in a big breath when the words finally registered through the fog descending on his mind, causing Harry to chuckle.

 

“I want you. Right now.”

 

Draco found himself completely incapable of and unwilling to deny Harry at this point and demonstrated that fact by Vanishing their clothes with a quick wave of his wand. A devilish grin was Harry’s only response before claiming Draco's lips again. Draco had no idea how they managed to land on the bed without hurting themselves, entangled as they were, but he wasted no time in wondering. Fighting Harry for dominance, Draco succeeded in flipping them over so he was on top after what could have been either a few seconds or a few minutes. He broke the kiss and mumbled the preparation charms before raising himself up onto his elbows above Harry.

 

Harry’s pupils were blown wide, with only a small sliver of green around the edges. His lips parted as his tongue flicked out to wet them and Draco found he couldn’t hold on any longer. Closing his eyes, he pushed forward and entered Harry in one smooth thrust, coming to rest as his hips settled against Harry’s body. He held still by sheer willpower as pleasure pounded through him, knowing Harry needed time.

 

“Draco.”

 

The brush of Harry’s fingers across his bottom lip caused Draco's eyes to open. Swallowing down the need to move, Draco concentrated on the feeling of having Harry’s fingers trailing up and through his hair instead. It wasn’t long before Harry tugged on his hair and flexed his muscles, sending yet another jolt of pleasure through Draco's body.

 

Taking the hint, Draco began to move. As worked up as he already was, he knew he couldn’t go slowly this time and he thrust into Harry’s body at a rapid pace. The need to come was building up in him swiftly and his hips stuttered when Harry dragged him down into a kiss, adding to the sensations. Sliding a hand down in between them, Draco grasped Harry’s straining cock, needing to bring him along with him. His arms and legs began to tremble as he got closer, but he held on, angling his hips with each thrust.

 

“Oh, oh _fuck._ ” Harry broke the kiss and began to groan the first time Draco managed to hit his prostate. “Please…”

 

Keeping to that angle, Draco aimed purposefully at Harry’s prostate. The squeezing of Harry’s muscles around him was almost proving to be too much when Draco managed to hit that sweet spot again. Harry’s breath hitched on a moan, his back arched and his heels dug into Draco's thighs as he began come, shooting his release up both of their stomachs. Ducking his head, Draco quickened his pace, reaching desperately for orgasm. He let out a deep groan when his body finally began spasming, sending white-hot pleasure through him.

 

Unwilling to move very far, he waved a hand to clean them both up before slipping out of Harry and rolling onto his back. The only sound in the room was their heavy breathing and Draco slipped into a half daze, enjoying the bliss of post-orgasm. He was dragged out of it when Harry sat up and pulled the covers over them.

 

“What–”

 

“It’s alright,” Harry murmured as he settled back down next to him, one arm slipping over Draco's waist. “Everything’s fine.”

 

Running a hand down Harry’s back, Draco had to agree.


	47. Chapter 47

In all of his thirty seven years, Harry was damn sure that there had only been a handful of times that he had been truly scared. There had been his childish fears brought on by an uncaring Aunt and Uncle when he was a boy; there had been his very real fears for the lives of his loved ones in each of the battles he had fought; and there had been the fear that he would be an utter failure as a parent. His current dread was different to all the others, though. Buried deep beneath his outward show of courage in front of his kids was the fear that Ginny would win and take everything he had worked so hard for away from him. Shaking the worrying thoughts from his mind, Harry refocussed on what was directly in front of him as the elevator clanged to a stop.

 

“Alright kids, down the hallway and to the left; your Mum should be waiting inside that room with her lawyer.”

 

He watched as the three of them made their way down the hall towards the small room they had met their Mother in on the first two days of the trial. If the day went as smoothly as Harry was desperately hoping it would, then this would be the last day his kids had to be down at the tenth level of the Ministry. It would also be the last day they would see their Mother as a free woman for what was looking to be a very long time. Stopping and watching Al enter the room after his siblings, Harry’s emotions warred against each other. On the one hand, he needed for Ginny to be put away for the rest of her natural life, for his own mental health, if nothing else. But on the other… He shook his head. This was the woman he had spent the past nineteen years of his life with; the mother of his children. He couldn’t help wondering how he could be so heartless as to want something like that to happen to her. Harry jumped when a warm hand landed on the small of his back.

 

“They’ll be fine.”

 

Draco managed to surprise Harry by not moving away when he turned and pulled him into a soft kiss. Knowing that Draco was so comfortable with him in public sent warm shivers through Harry’s stomach and he smiled as he pulled back. The corners of Draco's lips quirked upwards but his eyes flicked off behind Harry, obviously checking to see whether they were truly alone.

 

“It’s not them I’m worried about.”

 

Draco's eyes snapped back to Harry, pinning him with a concerned look. “You don’t think she would try something _here_ do you? Surely not to the kids at least; not even _she’s_ that cold-hearted.”

 

“No, I–” Harry sighed and stepped away from Draco, giving him the space he usually required in public. “With James’ breakdown last night and Lily’s a few weeks ago… It just plays on my mind, I guess. How’s Scorpius taking it all?”

 

Draco's eyebrows knit as he pondered Harry’s question, causing Harry’s fingers to twitch with the need to smooth the creases the movement caused over. He resisted, however, knowing that Draco was probably not ready to display that level of intimacy in public. The fact that he had relaxed enough to allow Harry to kiss him when they were alone in public was more than enough for the moment. He smiled as Draco's eyes grew unfocussed and a small smile tilted the corners of his lips, as though he were remembering something amusing.

 

“The only time he ever had doubts or concerns was right after the incident at the Ball. He was surprised that I was still with you when he came to visit in the hospital, but that seems to have died down. He has known for many years that Astoria and I aren’t – sorry, _weren’t_ – properly married in the true sense of the word and that this could happen one day. Although, I believe the fact that he and Albus seem to get along quite well has helped with the adjustment a bit as well.” Draco's eyes refocussed as they slid over in Harry’s direction. “He also seems to believe James a worthy opponent for him on the Quidditch pitch.”

 

Harry grinned. “Leaving poor old Dad in the dust?”

 

The wide, unguarded smile that lit Draco's face in response was so unexpected that Harry’s breath left him in a rush. He stared dumbly for a few seconds before stepping forward and drawing Draco into another quick kiss.

 

“You’d better watch who you’re calling old, Potter.”

 

Draco was still smiling at him as he pulled back. Harry ran his thumb across Draco's bottom lip, his eyes following the gesture. His chest swirling with a mix of confusing emotions, the thought that it should be illegal for a man to have this kind of effect on him drifted vaguely across Harry’s mind. Needing to distract himself from that line of thought, he narrowed his eyes as he met Draco's.

 

“Why are you so confident this morning?”

 

If possible, it seemed as though Draco's smile brightened a little before he turned his head to nip lightly at the palm of the hand Harry still held up. Harry’s eyes followed the motion again, his heart skipping a couple of beats as his chest tightened with need. He had no idea if he made a sound, but something must have grabbed Draco's attention, as his eyes flicked back over Harry’s shoulder before meeting his again. He took a small step, coming close enough so Harry could make out the tiny flecks of blue in his eyes.

 

“After today, you’re free.”

 

It was such a simple sentence, but Draco's tone gave it a much deeper meaning, making it sound like the most important thing in the world. Combined with Draco's wide smile, it sent Harry’s mind completely blank. Unable to express everything running through him, Harry drew Draco into another kiss instead. It only lasted a few seconds, however, as the clang of the elevator dragged him rudely back to reality. It also caused Draco's public mask to drop over his features so suddenly it was like a light had been switched off behind his eyes. Biting back the vicious disappointment at the loss, Harry took a deep breath and stepped backwards, hoping to clear his mind.

 

“Harry?”

 

Shock replaced the disappointment as Harry recognised Teddy Lupin’s voice. He stepped around Draco to see Teddy smiling uncertainly at him. The uncertainty left him in the matter of a few seconds, though, when Harry grinned. Striding forward, Teddy pulled Harry into a bear hug, almost lifting him off the ground. Like Remus before him, Teddy had a good three inches on Harry in height, but that was where the similarities to his Father ended. Teddy had inherited his Mother’s Metamorphmagus abilities, meaning Harry rarely got to see his natural face but, stepping back from the embrace, he knew that this was probably about as close as he was going to get. Teddy’s hair was mousey brown with pitch black tips, his eyes a bright blue and his features so close to how Harry remembered seeing Tonks that his chest contracted with the memory.

 

“It’s so good to see you, Teddy.”

 

Instead of responding, Teddy’s eyes flicked over behind Harry, a hesitant look crossing his face. Harry turned to see Draco watching Teddy just as unsurely, causing realisation to dawn in the back of Harry’s mind. Reaching out, he grasped Draco's hand and pulled him forward.

 

“Draco, this is Teddy, my Godson.” He was almost completely certain that the two of them had never met, despite being related. “Teddy, this is Draco.”

 

“You’re…” Teddy hesitated, glancing back to Harry.

 

“Your second cousin.” Draco held the hand that Harry didn’t have hold of out so Teddy could shake it. “Through my Mother.”

 

A tightness in his chest told Harry he was holding his breath and he let it out in a whoosh. Draco shot him a look that Harry could only interpret as amused before Teddy spoke again.

 

“Narcissa, right? My Gran has spoken to me about her and Bellatrix a few times; how close they all were when they were kids. I think she misses what they had.”

 

The feeling that he had let that breath go a moment too soon crossed through Harry as he felt Draco stiffen beside him. Slipping his hand out of Draco's and onto the small of his back unfortunately did nothing to lighten the moment and Harry was beginning to worry that Teddy had accidentally slipped up. It seemed that Teddy was starting to think so as well, as he slid confused eyes to Harry after a few seconds of silence. The clang of the elevator broke the tension, however. Garrett Richardson stepped out and locked onto Harry straight away.

 

“Ah, just the men I wanted to see.”

 

Harry watched as Draco blinked and glanced over to Richardson before turning a small smile onto Teddy. “Perhaps we could do something to remedy that in the future.”

 

The huge, relieved smile Teddy offered up sent relief through Harry as well. Draco met Harry’s eyes and, with a small nod of his head, followed Richardson into the courtroom. Turning back to Teddy, Harry grinned.

 

“Why do you always go for the scary ones?”

 

Realising Teddy was being facetious, Harry could hear the relief in the laughter that spilled from him. “Not all of us are lucky enough to find ourselves a part-Veela, Ted.” Harry’s laughter increased when Teddy ducked his head to try to hide the blush that stained his cheeks. Placing a hand on Teddy’s shoulder, Harry directed him towards the room the kids had entered earlier. “The children are in here with their terrifying Mother, if you want to see her before the trial. If not, it’s completely understandable and you can wait out here for the Weasleys to arrive.”

 

Teddy’s hair turned fully black as he ran a hand through it. “You say that like Vic’s Dad is the least frightening option of the two.”

 

Shaking his head as he bid Teddy farewell for the time being, Harry realised that between the two of them, Teddy and Draco had managed to relieve him of his nerves completely. Making his way slowly towards the courtroom, he enjoyed the feeling of relaxation that had come over him, knowing that it wouldn’t last very long. Sure enough, by the time he reached the doorway, his nerves had begun to return. Taking a deep breath, he crossed into the courtroom, preparing himself mentally as much as possible for what was to come that day.

 

*~*

 

It had been a long time since someone had accidentally triggered memories of the War for Draco and he figured it was just his luck that the person to do it would be Harry’s Godson. Teddy’s mention of Bellatrix had taken Draco aback and he had frozen in the attempt to not let the memories overwhelm him. He gave himself another mental shake as he followed Richardson into the courtroom.

 

“Well, here we are, young Mr. Malfoy,” Richardson began as they stopped in front of the chained chair Ginevra would be sitting in. “Everything will be decided today, for better or worse.”

 

Draco glanced once back to the doorway to see if Harry was following them yet before responding. “I honestly don’t think I have been this nervous about a trial result since my own.”

 

“I am rather confident that most of the charges will stick, Mr. Malfoy. I believe that Ginevra Potter will be spending most of the rest of her life behind bars of some kind, even if they are in a mental institution.”

 

“‘Rather confident’ isn’t a guarantee, though.”

 

Richardson sighed. “No, no it isn’t. I never deal in absolutes and there is always the chance that the Wizengamot members will side with her out of sympathy and that the only positive result to come out of today will be Mr. Potter’s divorce.”

 

“That’s a comforting thought.” Draco spun at the sound of Harry’s voice behind him. “We’ll get her, though. There’s incontrovertible evidence against her for a number of the charges, so some of them will stick if the Wizengamot takes the case on evidence rather than emotion.”

 

Without even thinking about it, Draco reached to wrap an arm around Harry’s waist as he came to stand beside him. His heartrate kicked up a few notches when Harry smiled at him, but he couldn’t tell if it was from desire, nerves, or a combination of both. He didn’t get a chance to examine the feeling, however, as Edwards and Ginevra entered the room at that moment.

 

Draco's muscles tightened as Edwards’ eyes immediately locked onto the arm Draco had around Harry’s waist. A calculating look entered his eyes before they moved up to meet Draco's.

 

“I’m afraid I have to ask you gentlemen to remove yourselves. My client is required to be in her seat before the Chief Warlock enters the room.” The words were accompanied by a sneer that set Draco's teeth on edge. “Much obliged.”

 

Clenching his jaw, Draco's free hand slipped down to the holster he kept his wand in before Harry stepped in front of him. The anger flowing through him stopped building and merely seemed to bubble just beneath the surface of his mind as Harry pushed him backwards a few steps.

 

“He’s not worth it.”

 

Draco was unsure if he believed Harry at that point, but allowed himself to be removed from the situation before it could escalate. Edwards smirked at him one last time before Draco turned to climb the steps to their assigned seats and Draco had to swallow down the desperate need to hex him into a tiny pool of goo. Taking his seat, he glanced back down to where Edwards stood, watching the chains wrap around Ginevra’s wrists and ankles. The look Edwards shot him in response confirmed Draco's theory that he had been aiming to unnerve him during his testimony: the calculating look made it look like Edwards was still trying to work out ways to set him off. Draco cast his eyes down in an attempt to get his emotions back under control, staring at the tops of his boots. The thought that he would love to get away with casting even a minor jinx crossed Draco's mind before he felt Harry’s hand ghosting across the small of his back.

 

“The idea of conjugal visits isn’t appealing in the least, you know.”

 

Huffing out an amused sound, Draco glanced over to see Harry grinning at him. “That’s the risk you run when you choose to be with a criminal, Potter, or didn’t you realise?”

 

A look of complete shock crossed Harry’s face but before he could answer, the room began to really fill up with Wizengamot members. The Chief Warlock entered the room with a sweep of robes that Draco thought was a little overly dramatic for the situation, but he kept his mouth shut. The concerned look Harry shot him as he sat back in his chair properly had Draco frowning, but he knew there was nothing he could do about it until the court broke for a recess. He reached to squeeze Harry’s fingers briefly instead before the room fell silent.

 

“I call this trial of the 1st of November, 2017 to order. We have heard to testimonies of the prosecution. Barrister Edwards, you have first witness today.”

 

Edwards stood from his seat and straightened his robes. Draco could have sworn that his eyes flickered up to meet his for a brief second, but that could have just been his own intense dislike of the man giving him yet another excuse to not like him. Stepping out into the middle of the floor, Edwards faced the Wizengamot and offered them a soft smile that had Draco's insides squirming with disgust.

 

“I would like to call Ginevra Potter to the stand.”

 

The chained chair clanked, not releasing the Weaselette, but moving so that she was in a standing position with the chains still holding her to the chair. Edwards turned to face her and Draco could see the soft expression he was offering. It was a huge difference to the hardness he had showed every other witness and caused Draco to wonder if Ginevra wasn’t the only one who could claim innocence based off mental impairment.

 

“Mrs. Potter.” Edwards’ eyes _definitely_ flicked up in Draco's direction for a second this time and Draco's jaw clenched in response. “You were married to Mr. Potter for sixteen years, is that correct?”

 

“Yes.” Ginevra’s voice was soft, almost pleading, and Draco's stomach squirmed again. “We got back together after the War ended and married after three years together.”

 

“You loved Mr. Potter deeply, then?”

 

“I did.” Ginevra glanced up towards where Draco and Harry sat. “I still do, very much so.”

 

The disgust swirling in Draco's stomach showed itself in the curl of his top lip and he looked away, unable to look at the pretend adoration in Ginevra’s eyes. The movement brought Harry back into Draco's line of sight and he caught the edge of a look of disbelief and revulsion fading from Harry’s face as he crossed his arms across his chest.

 

“Did Mr. Potter ever give any indication that he returned your feelings?”

 

Silently, Ginevra shook her head and Draco could have sworn that he saw a tear running down her cheek. “I loved him, so I thought maybe he would come around. He was the one who proposed to me and I was so happy that I accepted straightaway. I never received any indication that he loved me back, however. Not even when I told him I had fallen pregnant.”

 

There was a definite thickness to her voice that told Draco she was crying. It was a cheap trick designed to tug at the heartstrings of the Wizengamot members and he could only hope desperately that it wouldn’t work.

 

“Your eldest son is twelve years old this year, isn’t that right?” Ginevra nodded silently again. “It took you four years to conceive?”

 

“It took me four years to make him interested in me enough to _want_ to get me pregnant! He showed absolutely no interest in me except for when I suggested trying to conceive. I did nothing but love him for seven years and all he wanted to use me for was as a baby making machine.”

 

She trailed off as her voice broke. Draco sat, his jaw clenched in anger, and watched as Edwards asked for permission to release one of her arms so she could wipe the tears from her face. It hadn’t occurred to him that they would try to defame Harry in this way, making him out to be villain in the story. A quick look over at Harry showed him sitting stiffly in his chair, his eyes locked on Ginevra in the centre of the room. His breathing was obviously controlled, but Draco had no idea how to calm him down without drawing attention to themselves. He cast his eyes around the room as Ginevra handed Edwards his handkerchief back and saw that most, if not all, of the eyes in the room were on her, not them. Running a hand down Harry’s back got his attention and he turned to meet Draco's eyes.

 

“No one who truly knows you would ever believe her.”

 

The words were quiet, but he knew Harry had heard them as he gave a short nod before turning back to the scene in front of them. Draco took a deep breath before also returning his attention to Ginevra and Edwards.

 

“I’m sorry, Mr. Edwards, but it’s just so…” She shook her head, a helpless look crossing her face. “All I wanted from the man I loved so desperately was any small indication that he cared for me, but all I got in return were demands for children. There was no emotional support for me other than from my family, but that isn’t the same thing at all.”

 

Edwards made a show of drying his handkerchief, then using it to wipe what Draco suspected were very fake tears from his own eyes. “My apologies, Mrs. Potter. May I ask if you went in search of the emotional support you required elsewhere?”

 

“I – I had male friends I went to, yes. It was nice to know that there was someone out there who wanted me around when my own husband was so cold towards me.”

 

Edwards nodded and began to pace slowly in front of her chair. “What was your reaction when Mr. Potter informed you that he had been cheating on you with another man? Mr. Malfoy, to be exact?”

 

“I was in complete shock. To be honest, I don’t really remember exactly what happened or what was said. It was almost like I blacked out: I can’t remember that night clearly at all.”

 

Draco sucked in a breath. So this was how they intended to try for mental impairment: by claiming that she was suffering from blackouts and therefore hadn’t been in control of her actions. Leaning forward in his chair, Draco watched intently as Edwards continued.

 

“Do you recall going to Hogwarts and informing your sons that you and Mr. Potter were getting a divorce?”

 

“No, I don’t. I remember Harry yelling at me that I had told the boys that he was never going to see them again. That was the same day he accused me of attempting to abandon Lily.”

 

She paused to wipe her eyes again and Draco took the opportunity to glance along the stands that held the Wizengamot. Some of them were looking on with sympathetic looks, but many of them were simply watching the theatrics. It was difficult to work out if Ginevra’s acting was having an effect on them and Draco chose to take that as a good sign. Surely if they were thinking that she deserved the sympathy she was trying for, then he would be able to tell, right?

 

“I need to move forward a bit now.” Edwards’ voice was soft and syrupy, sending revulsion through Draco yet again. “The night of the Ministry Annual Ball. What do you remember?”

 

Ginevra shook her head. “Not a lot. My memory of that night is in patches.”

 

“Could you tell us what you do remember?”

 

“I got dressed for the night as I normally would. I was to meet a friend beforehand, so I was a few hours earlier than I usually would be. After meeting with him, I retrieved my handbag and Apparated to the ballroom. From there on in is where it gets patchy. I have flashes of being backstage and then a lot of fear. I remember being restrained by at least two people and screaming for them to release me. I didn’t know what had happened and I was so scared that maybe something had happened to Harry, but I had no idea what. Then – then…” She trailed off as her voice broke again. She didn’t bother trying to clear her throat or wipe the tears from her face this time, so her voice was croaky as she continued. “Then Harry was before me and there was so much _hatred_ in his face. He was already living with Malfoy by that time and there was nothing I could do to get him back. My own _husband_ didn’t want me anymore – never had – and I…” This time when she stopped, it was to sob into her hand. Edwards stepped up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder, rubbing gently until she got more control over herself. “All I wanted was my husband and family back. I wanted him to love me as much as I love him, but they took me away and threw me into a cell, claiming that I had attacked someone and tried to dose Harry with a homemade love potion. I – I don’t remember doing any of that, I swear. I _swear!_ I was so scared and when I asked questions, all I got in response were glares and told that I was going to go to Azkaban for the rest of my life. I – I ‘m sorry, I can’t…”

 

She didn’t speak again after trailing off this time. Edwards spent some time speaking softly to her before the Chief Warlock spoke up.

 

“If that is all, Barrister Edwards, then perhaps you should take your client into the waiting room to calm herself down.”

 

Edwards turned slowly to face the Wizengamot. “Thank you, Chief Warlock, for your understanding. Mrs. Potter has been through a rather traumatic experience and reliving it like this cannot be easy on her. I would ask that you all remember this when proclaiming your sentence at the end of the day. Thank you.”

 

With that, he waved his wand, releasing the chains that bound Ginevra to the chair. He wrapped an arm around her waist and guided her through the door that led to the small waiting room Harry and Draco had made use of the past two days.

 

“The court shall break for a half hour recess.”

 

Draco's eyes snapped to Harry as he stood and strode out of the room before anyone else. Uncaring that the press and anyone else who cared to was watching him, Draco stood and made his way out of the courtroom at a much calmer pace. The hall outside the court was filling up as he exited, but he knew that there were only two options for where Harry could have gone out here. Taking a chance on the abandoned room they had used before, Draco pushed the door open carefully.

 

“Blackouts?” Harry paced along the far wall, his hands clenched by his side. “She expects me to believe that she loves me? That all she wanted was for us to be a family?”

 

A wild swipe of his hand sent a small stool flying into the wall. Draco closed, locked and Silenced the door before stepping further into the room.

 

“Harry–”

 

“ _Don’t_ tell me to calm down.”

 

Draco raised his hands in a placating gesture. “I wasn’t going to.”

 

“What then?” Harry spun to face him, his eyes wild. “You’ve been sent in here to tell me how heartless I am? That by dating a _criminal_ I’m dooming myself to a life of anger and misery?”

 

With a sneer, Harry turned back to his pacing. Draco's mind raced, trying to come up with a reason Harry seemed to have locked onto the flippant comment he had made earlier. When he came up blank, he stepped in front of Harry, choosing to confront him directly.

 

“That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

 

It was easy for Draco to see the turmoil in Harry’s eyes in the few seconds he simply stood and stared at him. It didn’t last long, however, as Harry moved to drag Draco into a tight embrace. Draco automatically stroked a hand down Harry’s back in an attempt to soothe him.

 

“How are we going to counter this? Blackouts are something we can’t disprove.”

 

Draco was silent for a while, his mind racing again. “ _We_ can’t disprove them, no. But that part isn’t up to us. The prison has a mind Healer; all of them do. Ginevra has been in that prison for almost three full weeks now, so there’s every chance that they have had all kinds of Healers in with her and have had all kinds of tests run. Richardson will know more than we do about what’s going to happen; maybe we should go back in and ask him?”

 

A small huff of breath was all the response Harry gave before pulling back far enough so their eyes met. “Forever the sensible one, huh?”

 

Draco grinned as he ran a thumb along Harry’s bottom lip. “Someone has to balance you out, Potter.”

 

He got a quick glance at the wide smile Harry responded with before he was dragged into a harsh kiss. Sliding his tongue into the heat of Harry’s mouth, Draco had to acknowledge that his words had been correct: they balanced each other out damn-near perfectly.


	48. Chapter 48

“A mind Healer?” Garrett Richardson stood and blinked at Harry for a few seconds, confusion clear on his face. He glanced over to where Draco stood in front of the stands in the courtroom before looking back at Harry. “Yes, of course Mrs. Potter has been seeing one. It is prison policy in cases such as these that the accused be analysed by a qualified professional before the day of their court case. He shall be called up to testify today.”

 

“But–” Harry cut himself off with a frustrated huff of breath. He was well aware of the prison regulations now that Draco had reminded him; it was the fact that he had had no idea what was going on with Ginny that was irritating him. Running a hand through his hair, he glanced over to see Draco frowning at Richardson as well. “Why weren’t we kept up-to-date with the case? Isn’t this something we should have been told?”

 

Richardson’s cheeks turned a dull red, his lips pressed together and he ducked his head, looking for all the world like he would like to be anywhere other than standing in front of Harry at that second. He cast his eyes around the courtroom as though he were looking for something to distract Harry from this line of questioning, but considering most of the people had filed out to take advantage of the recess, they were some of the only people left in the room. Harry glanced over to Draco, cocking an eyebrow in question. Draco gave a one-shouldered shrug before Richardson cleared his throat.

 

“Well, Mr. Potter, you see…” He sighed, a look of resignation now crossing his face. “You are no longer entitled to know all of Mrs. Potter’s health concerns. Your divorce is going through today and with the case you have brought against her, it would be inappropriate for me to give you details like that. If it was something you needed to prepare for – something you would be questioned on for the case for example – then of course I would have kept you up-to-date, but as it stands, Mrs. Potter’s health concerns are no longer your business.” He held a hand up when Harry glanced automatically over to Draco again. “With Mr. Malfoy being your partner, it would be equally inappropriate for me to give him such details as well. Rest assured that had something happened to her, you would have been informed, but as all that has happened is she has been seeing the required Healer, there was nothing for me to tell.”

 

His frustration at being kept in the dark building, Harry shoved his hands into the pockets of his robes and clenched his jaw for a few seconds. “Alright. Can you tell me _when_ he will testify? Will the case be over today or will we have to be back tomorrow as well?”

 

He sounded testy and he knew it. The truth of the matter was that, despite Draco's best efforts, Harry had not been able to shed all of the anger that had built in him. He could feel it still simmering away beneath the surface of his mind and if taking his frustration out on Richardson for this was a way to expend some of it, then Harry was more than willing to do so. The affronted look Richardson shot him only confirmed that Harry’s tone of voice was as pissed off as he felt, but there was nothing he could do about it now. Drawing himself up to his full height, Richardson raised his chin so he was looking down his nose at Harry.

 

“I have never once led you astray when it comes to the important facts of this case, Mr. Potter. I kept Mrs. Potter’s health information private because that is what is legally required of me.”

 

His tone grated against Harry’s nerves, causing him to roll his shoulders. He was about to respond when Draco stepped in front of him.

 

“I’m sure Harry meant no offence, right?” Draco shot him a glare over his shoulder as he placed a hand on Richardson’s shoulder and steered him away from Harry. “How is your grandson?”

 

Harry shook his head as Draco removed Richardson before Harry could insult him further; he was damn sure Draco knew exactly how much offence he had meant to give. _Forever the sensible one_.

 

Moving up into the stands, he collapsed down onto his seat, allowing his head to fall backwards. The ceiling of the room reflected the flickering light of the torches and Harry watched, trying to make patterns out of the shapes in an attempt to calm himself down and straighten things in his mind. The prison had forced Ginny to see a mind Healer and hadn’t informed him. It was a strange sensation to know that today was the true end of his marriage. He and Ginny were over, he was about to embark on a whole new life with Draco, and Ginny was – hopefully – going to prison. Harry let that information sink in as he watched what could have been a rabbit form in the reflected firelight.

 

“Harry?”

 

He jumped at the hesitant voice, scrambling to right himself. Once he managed it, he looked down to meet Charlie Weasley’s amused gaze. Charlie’s eyes flicked up to the ceiling before he started up the stairs towards Harry.

 

“Charlie! I – er – how are you?”

 

Harry went to push himself up from the chair, but was stopped by Charlie holding a hand up. Watching as Charlie moved to settle himself on the step closest to Harry’s chair, Harry’s mind raced. He silently cursed his younger self for never learning to read people’s expressions properly, thinking that it would make these kinds of interactions so much easier.

 

“Good, I’m good…” Charlie paused, his gaze moving towards the waiting room where Harry knew Ginny was still hidden with her lawyer. “Hell of a turn of events, these past few months.”

 

“I’m sorry.” Charlie’s head turned back to Harry to lock eyes with him so fast that Harry was slightly surprised he hadn’t strained something. “She’s your sister – your _only_ sister – and I know how much she means to you all. I honestly didn’t mean to hurt her or any of you with this, but when I realised, I couldn’t keep living a lie any longer. Although, this–” he waved his hand out over the courtroom, “–wasn’t what I was expecting to happen.”

 

Charlie eyed him for a few seconds before running a hand through his hair. “No, I don’t think any of us were expecting _this_.”

 

The silence that fell between them seemed to not be too awkward to Harry and he let it fall, grateful that Charlie didn’t seem angry with him. Still, he automatically kept an eye on him, his Auror instincts not allowing him to leave himself open to danger of any kind. They sat in peace for a few minutes before Charlie spoke again.

 

“Bill isn’t happy with you.”

 

Harry sighed. “I figured as much. I’m actually quite surprised you’re not as well.”

 

“I never said I wasn’t.” Charlie stood and held out a hand for Harry to shake. “But I do understand where you’re coming from and am glad to see you haven’t changed. I’m willing to try to move past this if you are.”

 

Harry nodded before standing and grasping Charlie’s hand. At least Charlie had been honest with him, he figured. After an exchange of pleasantries, Charlie extracted a promise from Harry to allow him to spend some time with his niece and nephews before he made the journey back to Romania. Harry knew he couldn’t have avoided it once the kids knew their elusive Uncle Charlie was back for a few days, but he promised anyway before sinking back onto the chair.

 

He rested his head back against the back of the chair again for a few minutes before he felt someone else take Draco's chair beside him. The touch of fingers trailing lightly over the back of his hand told him it was Draco without him having to move an inch. He turned his hand and smiled when those fingers laced through his.

 

“Sorry I’ve been in such a shit mood today.”

 

A small huff of breath was Draco's only response, causing Harry to grin. Three days before, Harry had believed he and Draco to be as solid as they were going to get and had honestly not realised that this case would put so much pressure on their relationship. The past few days had opened his eyes to the facts though: they would have to work at their relationship just as much as anyone else did and not everything was going to come as easily to them as falling into the relationship in the first place had. He raised his head when Draco squeezed his fingers.

 

“You realise Edwards is aiming to piss the both of us off, right?”

 

Harry nodded as he sat up. “He did look up here a lot, but I don’t know why. There’s no benefit to it anymore, is there?”

 

“Benefit or not, I would advise the both of you try to not allow him to get to you.”

 

Harry turned his attention to Richardson as he moved to take his seat in front of them. He didn’t seem to be angry with him, but Harry apologised anyway and was thankful when Richardson accepted it without a second thought. He was about to ask if Richardson had had anything to do with Edwards before when the Chief Warlock and the rest of the Wizengamot returned. The room filled swiftly after that, causing Draco to take his hand back. Harry sat up properly when the Chief Warlock stood and addressed the room.

 

“Mrs. Potter, we shall now continue with your testimony, if you are ready?” She waited until Ginny had nodded before continuing. “Barrister Richardson, you may question Mrs. Potter first, followed by Barrister Leung. Barrister Edwards will then have the opportunity to call more witnesses. I would ask you all to please remember to keep your questions to the point today, as we have strayed a bit far from that the past few days.”

 

The Chief Warlock sat back down again, leading to Richardson standing and walking slowly to stop in front of Ginny. Harry’s nerves jumped and he leant forward, his forearms resting on his thighs. This was it; this was the testimony that would affect major parts of his life for years to come.

 

“Mrs. Potter.” Richardson paced back and forth a few times before coming to a stop in front of Ginny again. “If I understood your earlier testimony, you claim to be suffering from blackouts, correct?”

 

“Yes, I am.” Ginny nodded to emphasise her answer.

 

“How long would you say you have been suffering from these episodes?”

 

“It’s hard to say, really. I didn’t notice any time missing until fairly recently, but it may have been going on for much longer than that.”

 

“It seems rather convenient to me that you should suddenly start suffering from such a mental disorder around the same time you began having troubles with Mr. Potter. Especially considering the moments you claim are missing are the ones in which you have treated him with disrespect that borders on abuse. You have asserted that you do not recall attempting to dose Mr. Potter with a homemade love potion the night of the Ministry Annual Ball; that your memory is in patches. Can you tell me why you would have gone backstage that night?”

 

Ginny shook her head slowly. “No, I cannot. As you said, my memory is in patches.”

 

“You had no business there, especially considering you were no longer with Mr. Potter at the time. Could you take a guess as to why you went backstage that night instead of taking a seat in the ballroom with everyone else?”

 

Harry frowned and glanced over to Draco, trying to see whether he knew what Richardson was up to with this line of questioning. When Draco merely shook his head, Harry turned back to the centre of the room.

 

Ginny was shaking her head. “Maybe I wanted to speak with my husband.”

 

“You and Mr. Potter had been separated for a month and he had already moved on with Mr. Malfoy. You knew that to be a fact because you had seen it with your own eyes a few days previously when you entered Grimmauld Place to find the two of them together there.”

 

“I don’t recall that.”

 

“Really?” Harry watched as Richardson clasped his hands behind his back and rocked up onto his toes. “You don’t recall arriving at Grimmauld Place with your daughter, trying to convince Mr. Potter to stay with you, then leaving without your daughter when he refused you? Because that is the day I am speaking of. You stated yourself earlier today that you thought they were living together already by that time, so there must have been a moment that gave you that impression.”

 

Ginny stared at him for a few seconds before responding. “I’ve already stated that I don’t remember what Harry calls me ‘abandoning’ my child. And I would think that my reasoning behind assuming that they were living together would be obvious: Harry had left me in favour of Malfoy. I didn’t want to think about what Malfoy was doing with my husband, because it was too painful.”

 

Harry sat up straight and leant in to whisper to Draco as Ginny trailed off. “What is he doing? Trying to get sympathy for her?”

 

“Just hold on; there has to be a strategy here somewhere.” Draco's eyes were fixed on Richardson, but Harry could see the strain in his posture. “He knows what he’s doing.”

 

“Mr. Potter listed a lot of things you had done to him and your children over the past few months, do you recall that?” Richardson smiled when Ginny nodded silently. “Could you tell the court which of those things you do not remember doing or saying?”

 

“I don’t remember any of it, to be honest.”

 

Harry leant in to Draco again. “He’s proving what Edwards said is correct: that isn’t a strategy we what.”

 

“Shut-up Potter. He has been my family’s lawyer for longer than I have been alive; he wouldn’t fuck that up in such an obvious way. There has to be something more to this.”

 

Turning back to face the floor, Harry tried to suppress the worry that tingled along his spine. Richardson was pacing slowly in front of Ginny again.

 

“You already said you remember Mr. Potter standing in front of you as you struggled with the two Aurors restraining you. Do you recollect the first time you came back to see your daughter after your initial split with Mr. Potter? Or the amount of time you spent working over the past few months? How about your interactions with your family, are any of those moments missing?”

 

“Of course I remember all of that–”

 

“Objection!”

 

Harry jumped as the sound of Edwards’ voice echoed loudly through the courtroom. Having no idea what Edwards was objecting to, he turned to look at Draco, seeing a knowing smile tilting the edges of his lips. That gave him the clue that there must be something that he had missed and he turned to follow Edwards’ progress into the centre of the room.

 

“It isn’t Barrister Richardson’s place to determine whether or not Mrs. Potter is actually having blackouts. She has already stated what she does and does not remember, so what is the point in having her repeat it all?”

 

Sitting in his chair in the stands, Harry’s mind finally cleared to what was happening before him: Ginny was claiming that the only things she did not remember were the things that would have her prosecuted. He was unable to prevent the gasp that escaped him and saw Draco turn to him out of the corner of his eye.

 

“Strategy, Potter.”

 

He knew he would have to deal with Draco's smugness at being right later on, but right now there was a lot of drama unfolding in front of him, so Harry turned back to the centre of the room. Richardson was smiling blandly at Edwards, Edwards was glaring at him and the Chief Warlock looked exasperated.

 

“Objection overruled. It _is_ Barrister Richardson’s job to question the witness before him and that is exactly what he is doing.”

 

Barrister Edwards’ shoulders slumped a little, but he returned to his seat with no further fuss. It seemed to Harry that Richardson was standing a little taller as he turned to face Ginny.

 

“Am I to believe that the only moments you do not recall with perfect clarity are the ones that have brought you before this court today? You don’t remember treating a man you claim to love with such disgust and contempt that it borders on abuse but you do remember acting like the loving Mother, daughter and friend that you would have us all believe you are. That is a fascinating mental illness, I must say.”

 

“Objection!”

 

“Sustained. Barrister Richardson, please stay on topic.”

 

“Apologies, Chief Warlock. Mrs. Potter, moving on to the night of the Ball again. The curses you cast at Mr. Malfoy could have killed him, did you know that?”

 

“No, because I didn’t know I had cast anything at anyone until the Aurors deigned to tell me the next day why I was being retained.”

 

“Fascinating. So, you don’t remember anything past leaving your… shall we call him a _gentlemen friend_?”

 

Ginny’s cheeks turned a dull red as she stared at Richardson. “No, I don’t. Not clearly, anyway.”

 

“You stated that you remembered a sense of fear as you were being restrained by two people. This must mean you remember something. Did you have a clear line of sight to the doorway?”

 

“No.”

 

“How about Mr. Potter? What do you remember of him that night?”

 

“He was standing in front of me with a look of complete hatred in his eyes. I had never seen him look so angry.”

 

“And Mr. Malfoy?”

 

“I didn’t see him at all.”

 

“Not even when you cast those curses at him?”

 

“I don’t remember casting curses at anyone. I didn’t have a wand in my hand at all that night.”

 

Richardson nodded. “The mind is an interesting thing, Mrs. Potter. For you to not recall going backstage at the Ball, to allowing you to remember the look on Mr. Potter’s face, to taking that recollection away again when it comes to Mr. Malfoy in the next few minutes…” He shook his head before turning to face the Wizengamot. “Based solely off her testimony here today, Mrs. Potter is claiming that the only memories that she is missing are the ones that are pertinent to this case. I would ask the Wizengamot to please take that fact into account when you make your decision this afternoon.”

 

With that statement, Richardson bowed to them and moved off to take his seat again. It was Draco's hand running along the small of his back that drew Harry’s attention from the centre of the room again.

 

“I’m good,” he murmured as he met Draco's questioning gaze. If he was to be honest, Harry really had no idea how he felt about what had been revealed. He had known that Ginny must be lying about having blackouts, but to have what he would term evidence to prove it in front of him… He shook his head. “I’ll be much better once this is over, though.”

 

It looked to him like Draco was about to respond, but the Chief Warlock called Barrister Leung to the floor before he could. Harry nodded to him before returning his attention to Ginny.

 

“Mrs. Potter, you have stated that you do not recall why you were backstage that night, yes?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“So you have no idea why you would have been crouched down by the doorway leading to the stage?”

 

“No.”

 

“Or why you would have begun to struggle when the two Aurors on duty caught you there?”

 

“I would assume–”

 

“I am asking for facts, Mrs. Potter.”

 

“Then no, I don’t.”

 

“How about when you kicked and lashed out at the two Aurors?”

 

“No.”

 

“Nor would you remember taking Auror Gould’s wand and using it on Mr. Malfoy?”

 

“No, I’ve already said that.”

 

Leung nodded. “You know Aurors Gould and Reynolds personally, is that correct?”

 

“I have known them both for a few years through my husband’s work, yes.”

 

“Did you recognise them the night of the Ball?”

 

“I recognised Alexa after I came around, but Kyle was behind me, so I didn’t know it was him who was holding me.”

 

Barrister Leung was asking the questions so fast, Harry was almost having trouble keeping up with what was being said. He laced his fingers together in front of him and leant forward, watching intently so he didn’t miss anything.

 

“When did you ‘come around’?”

 

Ginny paled. “I don’t…”

 

“You recall Mr. Potter standing front of you, but you were still struggling, kicking against the hold Auror Reynolds had on your feet. You must have recognised her then, in the same moment you recognised Mr. Potter, yes?”

 

“I – uh – I don’t…” Ginny paused, her eyes flicking around the room. “I was focussed on my husband, not on who was holding me. I wanted to be released. I was panicking because I had no idea why I was being restrained.”

 

“How about when Auror Gould dropped you. Do you remember that?”

 

“No.”

 

“You don’t remember biting him and grabbing his wand?”

 

“No.”

 

“You don’t remember being Stunned?”

 

“I remember something hitting me from behind.”

 

“Why would you have grabbed Auror Gould’s wand, Mrs. Potter?”

 

“I don’t know.”

 

“Could you have been trying to aim at one of the Aurors surrounding you but missed?”

 

“Of course not!”

 

“Or maybe you were aiming specifically at Auror Reynolds?”

 

“No, I–”

 

“Or perhaps at your husband?”

 

“He would have deserved it if I had been!”

 

“Then you were aiming Auror Gould’s wand at Mr. Malfoy on purpose?”

 

“He’d taken–”

 

“Objection! She is badgering my client!”

 

Ginny jumped, her face twisted with the same kind of hatred Harry had seen from her over the past few months. She seemed to realise that she had said something wrong in a few seconds, however, as her face went blank when Edwards strode out into the centre of the room. His heart racing, Harry turned slowly to Draco.

 

“Did she just…?”

 

“Fuck up quite badly? I believe she did.”

 

A buzz of conversation filled the courtroom in a few seconds as people all around the room began to discuss what they had just heard. If what Harry had heard was correct, Ginny had just admitted that she remembered aiming the curses at Draco. Squeezing his fingers together even tighter than he had been originally, he turned back to the floor. Leung was staring at Edwards with a smug look in her eyes, Ginny was also staring at Edwards but with a look of slight horror, and the Chief Warlock was standing in her seat, trying to call order to her courtroom.

 

“Silence. This court _will_ come to order!” She waiting until the noise had died down to acceptable levels before continuing. “Barrister Edwards, you have been using the same technique to question every witness you have spoken to.”

 

A look of incredible frustration crossed Edwards’ face before he spoke again. “If Barrister Leung is done with my client, may I call a short recess? Mrs. Potter is obviously exhausted by the questioning and I would appreciate her being able to have a few minutes in peace.”

 

“I believe I have what I came here for,” Barrister Leung responded with a small bow to the Wizengamot when the Chief Warlock turned to her. “Thank you all.”

 

Harry sat still and watched as Edwards released Ginny from the chair and guided her into the small waiting room. His mind a confused jumble of emotions, he allowed his eyes to become unfocussed as he tried to sort through what he had just seen and heard. Between the two of them, it seemed that Richardson and Leung had managed to throw Ginny off just enough so that she slipped up. But what if the Wizengamot members hadn’t heard what Harry had? What if they had taken it as Ginny simply supposing what would have happened in the scenario Leung had posed? He frowned as his stomach churned with worry.

 

“Harry?” Draco's voice was soft. “Come on, come out and clear your head a bit. Get out of this room for a few minutes.”

 

Nodding slowly, he followed Draco out of the courtroom, but kept his head down, knowing he could trust Draco to lead him wherever he wanted them to go. Listening to the rumble of voices around them, he knew Draco was right: he needed to clear his mind.


	49. Chapter 49

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a bit of medical stuff in here that I did research, so hopefully it will make sense to those out there who know more than me!

“She admitted it, right? So that means we’ve won. Well, pretty much won. They can’t deny that she knew what she was doing, because she fucked up.” Harry paused in his pacing along the wall of the small room Draco had taken him to when the Chief Warlock had called the recess. He had been muttering and gesturing for a few minutes now; this was the first coherent thing he had said. “Right?”

 

Leaning back against the opposite wall, Draco couldn’t help smiling. He knew it was probably inappropriate of him to be as excited by this new development as he was, but he couldn’t prevent this emotion any more than he could give up his need to breathe.

 

“There’s probably still a chance that she’ll get sympathy votes, but it certainly seems like things are falling our way.”

 

Harry returned to his pacing, but not before Draco caught a glimpse of the grin that spread across his face. “But what if the Wizengamot didn’t think it was a confession? Or a slip-up? What if those sympathy votes out-number the sensible ones?”

 

Draco's smile widened unconsciously as Harry continued to sort through things aloud. He figured each of the questions Harry was posing were rhetorical, as he never paused long enough for Draco to answer them, so he allowed his mind to wander. Ginevra had as good as admitted that her story was completely false when she had declared that Harry would have deserved it if she had been aiming at him, but to confess that she had actually been aiming at Draco as well… He shook his head. Yes, Ginevra had certainly fucked up her testimony, much more than he had with his own.

 

“You’re still here.”

 

Looking up, Draco frowned at the sight of Harry standing a few paces from him, his arms crossed loosely across his middle. “If you think I’m going out into that throng of reporters alone, Potter…”

 

“No, no, that’s not what I mean.” Harry’s arms dropped to his sides as he stared intently at Draco. “You are in a relationship with someone whose ex-wife tried to murder you. No one would think any less of you for not being able to stay with me after today, but here you are.”

 

Draco rolled his eyes. “For Merlin’s sake, Potter, do I really have to go through this again? I–”

 

He was cut off as Harry stepped forward and pressed their lips together. Draco’s sudden burst of annoyance was diluted swiftly when one of Harry’s hands slid around to the back of his head and the other dropped to grip his hip, pulling him closer. The kiss was soft, leading Draco to lean into it. Harry’s soft chuckle vibrated through Draco's chest, but he ignored it in favour of getting as close to him as he could. Wrapping an arm around Harry’s waist, he pulled him to his chest as he deepened the kiss. It seemed that Harry was not going to passively allow Draco to control things this time though: he stepped forward a few paces, forcing Draco back against the wall again. There was something about doing this somewhere they ran the risk of being caught that cleared Draco's mind of any sensible thought and he surrendered to the sensations Harry was sending through him. He wasn’t allowed to enjoy them for long this time, however, as Harry soon pulled back, chuckling again as Draco growled his objection.

 

“I’ll have to think of some way to repay you.” Harry laughed when Draco's only response was to hum quietly. “Maybe the kids will want to stay with their Grandparents tonight.”

 

Reopening his eyes, Draco smiled. There was a glint in Harry’s eyes that Draco had become incredibly familiar with over the past few months and it sent a wave of desire through him that he knew he had to clamp down on. Taking a deep breath, his mind raced for a subject that would diffuse the fire Harry was attempting to build. The blank look Harry had developed just after hearing Ginevra’s almost-confession flashed through Draco's mind, reminding him that he had meant to ask about it. He took a deep breath to compose himself before speaking.

 

“You seemed worried in there just before we left.”

 

That appeared to have done the trick, as Harry’s eyes lost the glint. Frowning, he stepped backwards a few steps and ran a hand through his hair.

 

“I’ve been worried about this case for a while now; you know that.”

 

“I do.” Draco nodded, watching Harry carefully. “However, this seemed different.”

 

Harry sighed and it appeared to Draco almost like he deflated: his shoulders slumped a little; he ran both hands through his hair, pulling it straight out; and he turned to face the opposite wall. He returned to his pacing, although it was much less animated this time.

 

“I love you.”

 

Draco smiled. “I know.”

 

“For half my life… Wait, no. _Over_. For _over_ half my life, I thought I loved Ginny. I thought we were happy. We had the kids, we had fulfilling careers; we had everything a happily married couple supposedly wants.” He paused in his pacing and turned to pin Draco with an apologetic look. “There was absolutely nothing to indicate that there was this kind of insanity in her. Then…” He waved a hand at Draco. “ _You_ happened and everything she’s done over the years came out and she lied to everyone and abandoned the kids and tried to use a love potion on me… I could probably forgive most of that, given enough time.”

 

Draco could feel his eyes widening as he realised where Harry was heading. “Harry–”

 

“No, shut up. Do you have _any_ idea what it was like, waiting in that hospital to hear if you were even still alive? _That_ is what I can never forgive her for.” He returned to his pacing, this time with more vigour. “But, mixed in with those emotions are still the memories of the years we spent together and what she was like before all of this. Back in the courtroom, I could see this woman who had given birth to my children, who had looked after me when I got injured at work, who had put up with every single shitty thing I’d done or stupid decision I had made for nineteen years and she was slowly being replaced with this bitter, vicious, spiteful bitch. One who had just admitted to trying to murder you. So, no, to answer your question, I wasn’t worried. I was disappointed, I was angry at both her and myself, I was confused about how I could have ever let her fool me in the way she did, but no, I wasn’t worried.”

 

How long Draco simply stood and watched Harry pace, he had no idea. He opened his mouth to say something but closed it again a number of times as his chest compressed. He eventually gave up trying to speak when the meaning of Harry’s words began to sink slowly in. Out of all the things Ginevra had done, it was the injury to him that had tipped Harry over the edge; that was one of the things he couldn’t forgive. It was such a powerful realisation that Draco knew he couldn’t ever express everything that was running through him in that moment.

 

He crossed the room to stand in front of Harry, stopping his pacing. Harry raised an eyebrow at him, but Draco ignored it. Raising a hand, he tangled his fingers through Harry’s hair.

 

“Marry me.”

 

Harry stood and blinked at him for a few seconds, displaying the kind of surprise that was currently running through Draco's mind. He hadn’t planned on proposing – hadn’t even thought about it, honestly – but it felt right, despite the shock.

 

“What?”

 

Collecting his scattered wits as fast as he could manage, Draco smirked. “Going deaf in your old age, Potter?”

 

Harry scowled at him, but ran his hands up the front of Draco's robes to come to rest on his collar. “Shut up. You just proposed to me.”

 

His pulse beginning to race, Draco adjusted his stance, removing his hand from Harry’s hair and wrapping both of them around his waist instead. “I’ll do it properly in the future; just tell me yes now.”

 

“You’re awfully confident about this.”

 

“Harry–”

 

“Yes.”

 

Draco's words died on his tongue. _Yes_ ; he had said yes. His mouth opened and closed a few times again, but anything he might have been going to say was interrupted by a sharp knock on the door. He glanced over his shoulder to frown at the door before Harry drew his attention again.

 

“You might want to work on not gaping at me like a fish for the real thing.”

 

Harry grinned wide at him before pressing a quick kiss to his lips and moving off towards the door. Draco stood still for a while, simply staring at nothing.

 

“Mr. Malfoy, is everything alright?”

 

Draco spun at the sound of Richardson’s voice and was unable to help the wide smile he offered up. “Of course. It’s just been a bit of a… _strange_ day is all.”

 

*~*

 

Harry’s heart was racing so fast he thought it a small miracle no one else had apparently noticed it as he made his way back into the courtroom. He was engaged. Well, no, technically he couldn’t be engaged while he was still married, he corrected himself. Was it possible to be pre-engaged? Or was that just dating? He was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he didn’t notice Hermione stepping in front of him until he ran into her.

 

“Hermione!” He stepped backwards and tried to get his smile under control. “Sorry, I was thinking about something else.”

 

“I can see that,” she responded with a small smile of her own. “Look, I wanted to intercept you before any of the others and see how you were doing. You looked a little sick when you left the room.”

 

Harry’s eyes drifted automatically to the door of the waiting room where he assumed Ginny was still holed up with Edwards. “She pretty much just confessed to trying to murder him, Hermione.”

 

Hermione sighed. “I’m sorry, Harry.” She waited until he turned his eyes back to her before speaking again. “I think Molly hadn’t been expecting a confession of any kind and neither had a few of the boys. It’ll probably take a while for them to accept what she did, if they ever do.”

 

Judging by the look she was giving him, Harry assumed that this was supposed to be some kind of warning for him. He hadn’t expected all of the Weasleys to suddenly just start believing him if Ginny lost, but had hoped that they would at least come to some kind of understanding about why everything had gone the way it had. Perhaps the mind Healer would be able to shed more light on what was going through Ginny’s mind? A warm hand on the small of his back drew Harry’s attention and he turned to find Draco smirking at him.

 

“Granger,” Draco greeted Hermione.

 

“Malfoy.” Hermione nodded, looking like she was greeting an acquaintance from work. “We can talk more later.”

 

Harry bid her farewell and began to follow Draco to their seats just as the Wizengamot began filing back into the room. He couldn’t pay attention to them at that moment, however, not with Draco sitting next to him looking as though nothing had changed. He reached down to brush his fingers over Draco's and smiled when Draco's opened to allow him to slip his into the gaps.

 

“This court will come to order.”

 

Harry jumped, causing Draco to smirk. Refocussing his attention, he tried to pay as much attention to the Chief Warlock as possible.

 

“The last testimony of the day is to be by Healer Louise Jackson. She has been Mrs. Potter’s mind Healer while she has been in custody.”

 

She paused while a woman in lime green Healers robes walked to the stand. Her blonde hair reflected the torchlight in a way Harry suspected was magically enhanced somehow and her heels clicked on the tiled floor, causing him to wonder inanely whether her shoes were regulation for the hospital. Watching the floor as the woman walked, Harry thought he saw Ginny’s eyes narrow slightly when the Healer passed her. The chained chair that held Ginny had lowered back to its normal position, meaning she no longer drew Harry’s eyes to her automatically. Thinking this was a good thing, Harry turned back to the Chief Warlock as Healer Jackson took the stand.

 

“Barrister Richardson, you shall question Healer Jackson first, followed by Barrister Leung, then Barrister Edwards. I remind you all to please keep your questions to the point.”

 

Harry’s grip on Draco's fingers tightened unconsciously as Richardson stood and made his way onto the floor. Despite the fact that he hadn’t been expecting this testimony when the day had started, it was something that now held a lot of interest for him. This was someone who could officially confirm or deny whether Ginny actually had some form of mental illness, rather than just a lawyer stating it in the hope that he was right and would win the case. His stomach fluttered with nerves as he leant forward in his seat to stare intently at the Healer.

 

“Healer Jackson, you have been working personally with Mrs. Potter since she was brought into your facility, correct?”

 

“That is correct, yes.”

 

“In your professional opinion, is it possible that Mrs. Potter is suffering from a mental illness of some sort?”

 

Healer Jackson smiled and tossed her hair back over her shoulder, causing Harry to roll his eyes. “Blackouts like Mrs. Potter claims to be having are rather rare by themselves. Generally a loss of short-term memory – which is what a blackout is – is accompanied by a seizure, or caused by overconsumption of alcohol. Usually they are an indication that there is something much worse than just memory loss going on. I have not witnessed any symptoms in Mrs. Potter that usually indicate that there is an underlying cause of her memory loss.”

 

“You said blackouts are rare by themselves. Could you tell us the chances that Mrs. Potter is one of the unlucky few who appear to be having them on their own?”

 

“There hasn’t been any definitive studies done on those chances that I know of, sorry. It isn’t an area that really requires studying, because most blackout episodes have an underlying cause.”

 

“Thank you, Healer Jackson, I believe I have what I need.”

 

Richardson offered both the Healer as well as the Wizengamot a low bow before returning to his seat. Leaning back, he tilted his head towards Harry, who leant forward so he could hear what he was saying.

 

“Considering the events of the day, unless the Healer changes her story and causes a mistrial, I’d say I shall be congratulating the both of you on a win in a very short amount of time.”

 

Harry nodded stiffly before sitting back. Draco squeezed the fingers Harry had yet to let go of and offered up a small smile when Harry met his eyes.

 

“I understand that you’re nervous, but I will require those fingers to function at some point in the future.”

 

Harry’s eyes widened as he looked down to see he had practically mangled Draco's fingers. He offered up a sheepish smile as he released them. His eyes fell to Draco's lips as he smirked in response, but he shook his head and refocussed; this was something he had to pay attention to. Barrister Leung was just moving to stand in front of Healer Jackson as Harry returned his attention to the floor.

 

“I shall keep this brief, Healer Jackson. You have just stated Mrs. Potter is not suffering from any other symptoms that usually indicate an underlying mental illness which could be causing her memory loss. Is there any illness that would _only_ manifest physically in periods of time loss?”

 

Healer Jackson pressed her lips together, seeming to consider Leung’s question seriously for a time before answering. “The human brain is a very complex organ, Barrister Leung. _If_ Mrs. Potter is suffering from a mental illness that causes blackouts, it is one that I have not come across in my full eight years as a Healer. I have never once heard of an illness that only manifests itself physically in periods of memory loss.”

 

“Thank you, Healer.” Leung offered Healer Jackson a bow before turning to the Wizengamot. “I would like to thank the members of the Wizengamot as well.”

 

Harry watched as Leung offered a low bow to the Wizengamot stands, then returned to her seat. She had only asked one question, but it had received a response that helped all of the cases that had been brought against Ginny and for that, Harry was thankful. Taking a deep breath, he held it for a few seconds before letting it out lowly. He knew Edwards would most likely have a counterargument to the Healer’s declarations that Ginny was mentally healthy and, despite the nerves still running rampant through his stomach, he was quite interested to discover what it was. His hands clenched together when Edwards stood and walked to the centre of the floor.

 

“Amnesia is a serious mental illness, is that correct, Healer Jackson?”

 

“Yes, it is. Your memory affects the way you interact with the world around you, among other things.”

 

Edwards nodded slowly. “Could you describe to the court what happens when someone blacks out?”

 

“In effect, it is a short-circuit of the brain’s frontal lobe. The area responsible for short-term memory is the prefrontal cortex. If there is damage to that part of the brain, then a person could suffer from memory loss. It is also caused, as I stated earlier, by many different mental illnesses, or by overconsumption of alcohol. There have been many studies conducted on human brains over the centuries, but there is, unfortunately, no definitive definition of what Mrs. Potter is calling ‘blackouts’. Until someone can conclusively define ‘consciousness’, there is no way to conclusively define a state of _un_ consciousness.”

 

Edwards nodded, causing Harry to wonder whether that answer had confused him just as much as it had confused him. If it had, then he put up a good front, because he appeared to not be daunted at all when he continued.

 

“So what you are saying is that since there is no way to actually define a state of unconsciousness, it is entirely possible that Mrs. Potter is suffering from a form of blackouts that you have simply never seen before?”

 

“Fuck him, that’s good,” Harry growled and received a quelling look from over Richardson’s shoulder.

 

“I would never claim to have full knowledge of the human brain, Barrister Edwards. All I can do is give my professional opinion on Mrs. Potter’s mental state. From what I have witnessed in my sessions with her, as well as what her carers have told me, I see no reason for her to not be declared mentally fit.”

 

“ _That_ , Mr. Potter, is good,” Richardson muttered to Harry over his shoulder as the rest of the courtroom began to buzz with whispered conversations.

 

Unable to help himself, Harry slapped a hand down on Richardson’s shoulder and offered up a wide smile when he turned around properly. A tightness in Harry’s chest that he hadn’t noticed earlier seemed to be slowly loosening as the Chief Warlock began to call for order. The room quieted down, save for the occasional sniffle from the stands next to Harry, which he assumed was Molly.

 

“Please continue, Barrister Edwards.”

 

Edwards stood beside Ginny’s chair, his back facing Harry’s chair, appearing to stare down at her for a while before reacting. “Healer Jackson, is there someone watching Mrs. Potter 24 hours a day in your facility?”

 

“No, there isn’t.”

 

“Is she left alone for long stretches of time?”

 

“No longer than a few hours at a time.”

 

“Thank you, Healer Jackson.” Edwards turned to the Wizengamot and offered up a smile that made Harry’s insides squirm with revulsion. “And thank you, members of the Wizengamot.”

 

After offering a low bow that matched the ones the other Barristers had made to the Wizengamot, Edwards returned to his seat. Healer Jackson was dismissed with thanks from the Chef Warlock, who then stood up and called everyone’s attention to her.

 

“We shall now hear the closing statements from each of the Barristers present. Barrister Richardson, you may have the floor first, followed by Barrister Leung.”

 

Harry’s stomach flipped as Richardson stood and made his way to the floor. Watching Richardson as he was, it was difficult for Harry to miss the look Ginny shot the lawyer when he passed her: her eyes narrowed, her teeth showed and her posture stiffened for an incredibly short amount of time. It was brief, but the immediate effect of sending a shock of fear down Harry’s spine lasted much longer. He took a steadying breath as his skin prickled.

 

“Members of the Wizengamot, I have presented the facts of this case before you over the past three days. The charges of attempted fraud and attempted assault with intent to cause mental harm are, in my eyes, incredibly clear-cut. Mrs. Potter was caught with the offending potion in her hand by the arresting Aurors. Mr. Potter would have been dosed with said potion if the two Aurors on duty had not interrupted Mrs. Potter and restrained her. Mrs. Potter herself has admitted to committing grievous bodily harm with a dangerous weapon by her admission that Mr. Malfoy had ‘deserved it’ because he had stolen her husband. I strongly urge you today to take the statements of Mrs. Potter’s mind Healer very seriously, as she is the only one present who is qualified to make any form of statement on Mrs. Potter’s mental health. I do have one additional request to make, however. We believe that Mrs. Potter would be better served to be placed a prison with a mental health ward so she can continue to receive the help she requires. I would be incredibly grateful if you would take that request into consideration when passing your judgement today. Thank you.”

 

Richardson bowed low again, then returned to his seat with a small smile to Harry and Draco. Harry’s nerves jumped, but his eyes followed Leung as she stood to face the Wizengamot.

 

“Members of the Wizengamot, Minister, Chief Warlock, I believe that the charges brought against Mrs. Ginevra Potter have been proven true through a number of means over the past few days. The fact that she is claiming that the only time periods she is missing are the ones that have brought her here is suspicious, but that is nothing to her declaration that she remembers taking Auror Gould’s wand. It is obvious through her own testimony that she resisted arrest and that she kicked and lashed out when Aurors Gould and Reynolds attempted to restrain her. Her own mind Healer has declared that she is mentally fit. The evidence that has been presented over the past three days is more than sufficient to convict Mrs. Potter of the charges brought against her.” She paused and glanced briefly up towards where Richardson sat. “I would also like to recommend Mrs. Potter be placed in a prison with a mental health facility. She is in obvious need of help that no regular prison can give her. Thank you all.”

 

Harry leant forward far enough so he could whisper to Richardson without running the risk of being overheard. “Did you request that, or did the Auror Department?”

 

“It wasn’t me, Mr. Potter. I have no influence on what any other lawyer chooses to request as punishment for a defendant.”

 

Surprise rippled through Harry as he leant back again. That was something else that no one had mentioned to him. He was discovering rather quickly that being left out of the loop when it came to decisions that would affect the way he lived his life was just as annoying now as it had been when he was a teenager. He didn’t get long to examine the feeling, though, before Edwards was striding out into the middle of the floor. He stopped beside Ginny’s chair and placed a hand softly on her shoulder.

 

“Ginevra Molly Potter has been through a lot over these past few months; more than most people could stand. From discovering her husband’s hidden sexuality, to being defamed in the newspapers, to being treated like a common criminal by the Auror Corps. It has all placed a heavy strain on her mental state, causing her to have periods of blackout. As Healer Jackson herself stated, the human brain is a complex thing and we will probably never know all of its secrets. There is no definitive proof that Mrs. Potter is _not_ having blackout episodes, as no one person can say for certain exactly what is going on in another person’s mind. Today I ask the Wizengamot to take pity on a woman who has been treated incredibly poorly by the man who was supposed to love and care for her. I ask that you drop all charges and allow Mrs. Potter to seek the help she needs in the privacy of her own home. Thank you all for taking the time to listen to me today.”

 

Harry’s heart began to race again as Edwards appeared to give Ginny’s shoulder a tight squeeze before returning to his seat. He was expecting the room to break into conversation again, but it was oddly quiet as the Chief Warlock stood to address them again.

 

“The Wizengamot shall now confer and give our verdict. We thank you for your patience and ask that conversation be kept to the minimum.”

 

Huffing out a breath as what felt like panic began to cloud his mind, Harry turned to Draco. “They’re deciding _now?_ Right now?”

 

One of Draco's hands was clenched tightly in his lap, his breathing was obviously controlled and his jaw clenched. “Apparently so.”

 

“Each member of the Wizengamot will cast a spell that holds their decision. Those spells will gather and form the final verdict for the case. The Chief Warlock’s own opinion doesn’t sway the verdict at all except for being another vote towards one side of the argument or other.” Harry’s eyes flicked down to stare at Richardson, who had turned to face the two of them. “I believe we have every reason to expect a favourable decision, Mr. Potter.”

 

Richardson had managed to distract Harry for a few seconds, but his panic apparently wouldn’t be repressed: his hands shook, his skin was clamming up and the muscles in his thighs were twitching with the adrenalin that was racing through him. This one decision would affect the entirety of the rest of his life in either a very good or a very bad way and there was apparently no way to calm himself down. It looked to him like Draco was as worried about it as he was, but there really wasn’t anything Harry could do to help him at that moment. He jumped violently when the Chief Warlock stood again.

 

“The Wizengamot has reached our decision. Mrs. Potter, if you would stand, please.”

 

The chained chair clanked and began to move, causing Harry to jump again. His stomach churned when Edwards move to stand beside Ginny’s chair and he hoped desperately that he wouldn’t vomit. Swallowing rapidly, he trained his eyes on the Chief Warlock and held his breath.

 

“Ginevra Molly Potter, there were six charges brought against you today. For the charge of attempted fraud, you have been found guilty. For the charge of attempted assault with intent to cause mental harm, you have been found guilty. For the charge of grievous bodily harm with a dangerous weapon, you have been found guilty. For the charge of resisting arrest, you have been found guilty. For the charge of attempted assault on an Auror, you have been found guilty. Finally, for the charge of taking an Auror’s wand, you have been found guilty. Taking into account your obvious need for help with your mental health, the Wizengamot recommends a maximum of sixty five years in the Leontes Ward of the Horizon Women’s Prison in London.”

 

Harry was absolutely certain that she continued, but a loud buzzing filled his ears in that second, blocking out everything around him. His breath hissed out of him as the panic that had been filling him seemed to peak, then fizzle slowly out. The churning of his stomach seemed to be trying valiantly to change to excitement, but all Harry was feeling beneath the numbness beginning to fill him was nauseous. He became vaguely aware of a louder buzzing sound, but he couldn’t focus enough to discover exactly what it was. The buzzing cleared, however, when two hands were placed on either side of his face and he was drawn into a harsh kiss.

 

Draco's hands were shaking just as much as Harry’s and he reached up automatically to cover them with his own. _Guilty_ ; they had won the case. A few bright lights seemed to spark before Harry’s eyes as the realisation sunk in. Pulling away from the kiss, Harry ran his thumb over Draco's bottom lip, causing a wide smile to break on Draco's face.

 

“We won?”

 

Harry grinned. “We did.”

 

This was an outcome that Harry had hardly dared to allow himself to hope for: Ginny wouldn’t be able to interfere with their lives in any way in the future. He knew that there were people waiting to speak with him. He also knew that he would have to deal with the confusing mix of emotions churning through his stomach. The Weasley family were a whole other question he would also have to discover an answer to. It could all wait, however, as all that he could seem to care about at that moment was Draco in front of him. They had won. He was free.


	50. Chapter 50

A sharp nip on the sensitive skin of his inner thigh woke Draco the next morning. Lying on his stomach was not the way he normally slept, but it seemed that Harry had taken full advantage of his position and Draco's body was reacting already: his breathing increasing, his skin tingling with building desire and his cock hardening against the mattress. His breath hissed between his teeth at a particularly sharp jab of desire, causing Harry to chuckle against his leg. Squinting his eyes open, Draco blinked at the clock until he was sure it was saying what it appeared to be saying. 7:38. He shook his head.

 

“Did you turn my alarm off?”

 

It took a few seconds for Harry to respond as he slid up the bed, his hands trailing light touches along Draco's ribs. Draco shivered involuntarily, causing Harry to laugh again, this time against the back of Draco's neck. Instead of replying immediately, Harry brushed his lips against the nape of Draco's neck, sending a series of tremors through him.

 

“I may have.”

 

Draco wriggled a little as Harry briefly settled on top of him, enjoying the strange sensation of having someone else’s weight on his back. “What if my ingredients all die?”

 

“You’ll yell at me and grow some more.”

 

Laughter bubbled up out of Draco as Harry returned to his exploration of his back. Images of the day before began to cross Draco’s mind as he gave in to the pleasurable sensations Harry was causing. The courtroom after the verdict was a little fuzzy for him, with faces blurring together in the media frenzy that had surrounded them. He clearly remembered the Weaselette letting out a high-pitched shriek after the verdict had been handed down, but Draco had been much more focussed on Harry by that point. He also knew that flashes had gone off when he had forgotten himself and kissed Harry right there in front of everyone, so he had to figure that that was the picture they would use for the front of the newspapers that morning.

 

That thought brought back what they still had to do that day and Draco had to resist a sigh. They were due back at the lawyer’s offices that afternoon so Harry and Ginevra could formally dissolve their marriage; the court had signed off on a contested divorce the day before due to Ginevra’s reluctance. Richardson had somehow managed to convince the court to not force Harry to go through another case just to get divorced when they had more than enough evidence from the current case to prove that a divorce was necessary. Harry was also using the time today to allow the children one last opportunity to see their Mother before she was taken to the facility.

 

Draco was quite wary of Ginevra’s motives still – despite the fact that they had won the case – and was absolutely determined that she would not be allowed to be alone with Harry at any point that day. Then there was Edwards, who Draco hadn’t liked the look of since he had first laid eyes on him. There was something niggling in the back of his mind that–

 

“Draco?”

 

Draco drew in a deep breath as he was dragged back to reality. “Mmm?”

 

“Stop thinking.”

 

The words were huffed over the skin on the back of Draco's knees, causing another shiver to trail along his spine. Forcing his mind away from Ginevra and Edwards, Draco rolled over. He couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face, despite the fact that he knew that Harry couldn’t see it.

 

“Make me.”

 

Harry seemed to take this as the challenge Draco had intended it to be, as his hands trailed slowly up the inside of Draco's thighs again. When Harry stopped and simply hovered over him, Draco raised the covers to see him grinning at him. His heart seemed to skip a beat when Harry flicked his tongue out and licked a stripe up his cock.

 

“It will be my absolute pleasure.”

 

The roughness to Harry’s voice sent another shiver down Draco's spine, but he didn’t get to focus on it for long. Harry’s technique had improved incredibly since the first time they had tried this in the kitchen of Grimmauld and Draco found his mind clearing of anything but the desire that was taking him over. He kept the covers raised so he could see Harry as he licked all sense out of him, his lips and tongue trailing up and down Draco's shaft. Harry’s hands seemed to be everywhere but nowhere at the same time: brushing against Draco's ribs, trailing down to rub along his legs, and gripping his hips; it was nice, but not enough compared to the fire burning brightly in his stomach. Consequently, it wasn’t until Harry drew him into the heat of his mouth that Draco really began to lose his focus on the world surrounding him. Soon enough, his arms began to shake with the effort it was taking to keep focussed enough to keep them up. Throwing the covers to the floor, Draco lay back against the pillows, his eyes squeezed shut again.

 

“I’ll catch cold like this.”

 

Draco groaned. “Don’t you fucking stop, Potter…”

 

He could have sworn he felt Harry grin against his shaft before his cock was engulfed in wet warmth again. The brush of Harry’s fingers against his swollen balls had Draco's legs spreading automatically, giving him better access. He dug his heels into the mattress, raising himself up to Harry’s mouth as the pressure built in his stomach. A deep chuckle vibrated through Draco's cock, causing his stomach muscles to clench. Harry’s free hand moved to grip Draco's arse, holding him up as well as sending more jolts of lust through him as he squeezed. It was in that moment that Draco knew it was going to be too much; that if Harry didn’t stop, a blowjob would be all he got out of the morning. His eyes flew open to see Harry watching him, his pupils blown wide.

 

“Harry…” Draco reached out, knowing he had to stop him.

 

“Mmm?”

 

“Ah, fuck…” Draco's stomach muscles clenched again and he held back his orgasm by sheer willpower alone. “I – I…”

 

Thankfully, Harry seemed to take pity on him, lowering him back to the bed and depriving him of any form of stimulation. Draco simply lay there for a while, trying desperately to catch his breath. He had no idea how long he took, but a small sound caught his attention. Turning, the sight before him had Draco's breath leaving him in a rush: Harry lying flat on his back, his hand slowly stroking his cock and his eyes pinned on Draco.

 

“Come here.”

 

Draco was completely incapable of disobeying the request even if he had wanted to. Rolling over, he supported his weight on one arm while the other trailed down to slide inside of Harry. He grinned when he realised that Harry had already cast the charms, knowing that that must have been what he had heard.

 

“Don’t tease me.”

 

Draco grinned. “As you wish.”

 

Leaning down, he sealed their lips together in a soft kiss. It seemed Harry wasn’t in the mood for soft, however, as he spread his thighs and wrapped his legs around Draco's waist, digging his heels into Draco's thighs and moulding their bodies together as much as possible with his hand still between them. Positioning himself against Harry’s body, Draco slid slowly inside, enjoying the feeling of Harry’s tightness surrounding his cock. Huffing out a noise that sounded like approval to Draco's ears, Harry adjusted his position, obviously trying to get comfortable with Draco on top of him and his hand still moving on his cock. The fire that had been building in Draco flared again as he felt Harry’s hand moving against his stomach, stroking himself increasingly faster.

 

“Harry…”

 

“ _Move._ ”

 

Draco obeyed mindlessly. He rested his forehead against Harry’s, their breath mingling as he found his rhythm. Draco's free hand moved restlessly until Harry grabbed it and laced their fingers together, holding them out to the side. It was an odd sensation – he had never held a partner’s hand while fucking them before – but it brought another level of intimacy that had Draco groaning. The sound blended with the small moans Harry was beginning to make, letting Draco know that he was getting close.

 

“Harry…”

 

“Mmm, close… Little more…”

 

Angling his hips, Draco aimed for Harry’s prostate. The combination of the sound and scent of sex with the built-up need in Draco's stomach was proving to be too much and he knew he couldn’t hold on much longer. All it took was one hit to Harry’s prostate to have him spurting his release all over them. Draco followed shortly behind him, groaning deep in his throat as he finally allowed himself to let go. He collapsed down on top of Harry, completely unable to support his own weight any longer.

 

How long they stayed like that, Draco had no idea, but the sounds of feet running along the corridor outside their room jerked him out of the blissful mindlessness that always followed his orgasm. Letting out a groan that had nothing to do with pleasure, he rolled off Harry and cast a rough cleaning charm. Turning his head, he smiled as he watched Harry attempting to come back to reality.

 

“Dray…”

 

Draco shook his head. That ridiculous nickname appeared to have stuck: he was definitely going to have to have a word with Astoria about this. An idea popped into his mind as he watched Harry run a hand over his chest and scowl when he realised that the rough charm Draco had cast had left him sticky.

 

“Come shower.”

 

Harry turned glazed eyes on him, sending a sense of smug satisfaction through Draco's stomach. “Together?”

 

“I’d offer to lick it off but, in my experience, you never _feel_ clean after that.” It was a struggle, but Draco managed to keep a straight face as he answered. “It is always an option, though.”

 

Looking as though he was trying to sort through the words, Harry blinked blearily for a few seconds. A loud shriek of laughter from down the hall seemed to clear his mind, though, and he rolled over to pin Draco to the bed.

 

“Do you think of anything besides getting me wet and naked?”

 

Draco's breath left him as the dual meaning of Harry’s words hit him. “Would you have it any other way?”

 

The kiss Harry drew him into was more than enough answer.

 

*~*

 

The moving picture of the two of them kissing on the front of the _Daily Prophet_ seemed to never have to pause for breath. As disconcerting as it was to know that nearly everyone in the wizarding world was being treated to the sight of he and Draco making out, Harry found the sight of the picture strangely erotic. Which was exactly why he had very determinedly avoided looking at it that morning after the first glance he had taken over breakfast.

 

Thanks to the way the day had begun, Harry had been in a cheerful mood that not even the prospect of seeing Ginny again had been able to dampen. That feeling was slowly being taken over by nerves now, as he stood in front of the fireplace in Grimmauld. Kingsley had gotten him special permission to connect his fireplace to the one in the lobby of the lawyer’s office for the day and the kids had just stepped through, hopefully to be met by Molly and Arthur on the other side. Harry smiled when he was dragged out of his thoughts by a pair of warm arms wrapping around his waist.

 

“They’ll be fine.”

 

Draco's voice was low, widening Harry’s smile. Leaning back against Draco's chest for a few seconds allowed Harry to get a tighter grip on his nerves and he turned to see Draco smiling at him.

 

“I know. It’s not them who she was aiming at hurting, anyway.”

 

Watching the change in Draco's expressions was always fascinating now that he was allowed to see them. The hardening of his eyes this time told Harry that Draco would brook no argument over what he was about to say.

 

“If she wants to see you, I’m going in with you. I don’t trust her.”

 

Harry couldn’t help the small amused sound he made, nor the wide grin at Draco's raised eyebrow. He leant in to press their lips together briefly.

 

“Thank you.”

 

It turned out that Molly and Arthur were waiting for them to step through the floo and Harry had to fight back a blush as Molly’s eyes flicked between him and Draco. All three of the children were sitting on chairs on the opposite side of the lobby, Lily kicking her legs out so her floaty, floral-patterned dress seemed to billow out in front of her. Having satisfied himself that they were fine, Harry wrapped an arm loosely around Draco's waist before smiling a greeting to his soon-to-be ex-in-laws. Engaging in small talk with Molly and Arthur seemed to be the easiest thing in the world now that he had the weight of the case lifted from his shoulders and Harry found himself wondering if many of their problems over the past few months had been due to stress on both sides. They flitted between meaningless topics such as the latest Quidditch scores, some laws that Percy was trying to help pass and the fact that Charlie was looking to stay for at least a week.

 

He knew that Molly and Arthur had spent a large amount of time with Ginny the day before after the trial – along with the rest of the Weasley clan – but he had not had time to speak to them. He hadn’t wanted his children to have to see their Mother straight after her losing the case anyway, which was why they were at the lawyer’s offices that afternoon. Allowing them to have this one last time to see her before she was locked up would give them the chance to make a happy memory with her without the presence of guards or the stink of a hospital surrounding them. It wasn’t long after their exchange of pleasantries that Garrett Richardson stepped out of the offices, smiling a wide smile around at them all.

 

“Good afternoon everyone,” he greeted the room in general. “If you would all follow me, we will get things underway.”

 

Harry’s nerves jumped again, but he suppressed them as much as he could. This was the very last thing to do with Ginny that he had to deal with before he could move on and he was absolutely determined to just get it over with. The trip through the offices to a private suite of rooms in the back took a surprisingly short amount of time and Harry found himself standing in a small vestibule decorated with comfy-looking armchairs before he knew it.

 

“Mrs. Potter is waiting for you in here.”

 

Harry’s head snapped up to see Richardson gesturing to Molly, Arthur and the kids. He smiled reassuringly at Albus as he glanced over his shoulder.

 

“And now, if you please…”

 

Draco's hand landed on the small of Harry’s back as he froze when Richardson indicated that they were to follow him. Still, he stood rooted to the spot for a few seconds before his nerves calmed enough to allow him to move.

 

“It’s alright; it’s almost over.”

 

The reassurance in Draco's voice sent warmth rushing through Harry and he offered up a small smile in thanks. Richardson led them into a small, sparsely decorated office. There was only one tiny window to illuminate the desk and one chair, leaving a lot of the room in shadow until Richardson lit a torch with his wand.

 

“This is it, Mr. Potter.” Richardson smiled wide at him after Draco had closed the door behind himself. “Here is the paperwork to finally dissolve your marriage to Ginevra. The Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot signed off on a contested divorce yesterday; all it requires is your signature to be official.”

 

Harry had to take a deep breath to steady his roiling stomach as he looked at the papers before him. After all this time, it was such a simple process: he put his signature to these pieces of paper and that was the end of his marriage. A strong sense of excitement flooded through his veins as he took the quill from Richardson. Less than thirty seconds – and three signatures – later, it was done.

 

“Congratulations, Mr. Potter, you are now officially divorced.”

 

The words seemed to not want to penetrate Harry’s mind properly, but he found himself smiling and shaking Richardson’s hand anyway. When it was just he and Draco left in the room, Harry took a steadying breath.

 

“I’m divorced.”

 

“Yes.”

 

He met Draco's eyes. “And you proposed.”

 

The grin Draco offered up appeared more devious than anything else. “That I did.”

 

His skin tingling with what felt like a combination of excitement and relief, Harry stepped forward until he was standing just in front of Draco. “So that would make me–”

 

He trailed off with a gasp as Draco's arms circled around his waist and pulled him to his chest. Draco's eyes flashed as he grinned.

 

“ _Mine_.”

 

Helpless laughter bubbled up out of Harry just before their lips met in a harsh kiss. Divorced; he was _finally_ divorced and free of Ginny. Wrapping his arms around Draco's shoulders, he surrendered to the kiss, allowing Draco to control their pace. The feeling of relief that was spreading through Harry’s body was relaxing muscles that felt as though they had been tensed for months at that point and he sagged into the embrace.

 

“Draco…” He drew the syllables out, knowing the effect it had on Draco.

 

“I love you.”

 

“I know.”

 

Harry could hear the laughter in his voice and he let it out when Draco grinned in response. The sharp sound of boot heels on the tiled floor outside the door brought him back to reality, however, and he sighed. They still had other things to deal with before they could celebrate this small victory. He stepped back from the embrace just before the door opened.

 

“Mr. Potter, I’m sorry to interrupt, but I’ve been sent to bring you to the other office. Mrs. Potter wishes to have a private word with you.”

 

Harry’s stomach sunk so fast it felt as though he was about to bring up his lunch. The young man who was standing in the doorway – an intern judging by his age – stared at him with building panic before Draco stepped up to him and, with a quick smile and apology, closed the door in his face.

 

“Harry, if you continue to lose colour that quickly, they’ll call for the Healers.”

 

Groaning, Harry pinched the bridge of his nose. “This isn’t going to be pretty.”

 

“No, but you won’t be doing it alone.”

 

The stubborn glint to Draco's eyes and tone of voice had Harry smiling. The intern was still standing outside the door, wringing his hands in front of him, when Harry reopened the door.

 

“Sorry about that,” Harry muttered and received a relieved smile. “Do you want us to just head on in?”

 

“Uh…” The young man paused, glancing cautiously to Draco. “She specifically said that it was just to be you.”

 

“In that case, you can inform her that she won’t be seeing anyone else today. Thank you.”

 

The clipped tone to Draco's voice caused the young man to flinch. He glanced to Harry as though looking for confirmation of Draco's words.

 

“I – uh–”

 

“She’s ready to see you, Mr. Potter.”

 

Harry turned from the young man, who seemed incredibly relieved to have the two of them taken off his hands. Walking out of the office behind all three of his children was Barrister Edwards. The smarmy smile that had sent Harry’s stomach roiling with disgust in the courtroom was back and it had the exact same effect now as it had then. Ignoring Edwards for the time being, Harry knelt down so he was roughly on eye-level with his kids.

 

“How are you all?”

 

It was obvious that Lily had been crying and that the boys were probably about as close to tears as they had been in public for a while now. Harry chose to fuss over the three of them, pointedly snubbing Edwards as he stood waiting for him to respond. He spent as long as he possibly could speaking to them in a low voice that he knew would only sound like mumbles to Edwards. It wasn’t until Albus drifted over to where his Grandparents stood waiting for them that Harry sent the other two off and stood to face Edwards.

 

“What does she want?”

 

“To speak to you in private.” Edwards’ eyes trailed up and down Draco before he continued, causing the hairs on the back of Harry’s neck to stand on end. “I would also like a private word with Mr. Malfoy here.”

 

“No.”

 

Edwards blinked. “Excuse me?”

 

Harry offered up a tiny, completely disingenuous smile. “I said _no_. If Ginny wants a word, then it won’t be in private.”

 

“And there isn’t the slightest chance in hell that _I_ would go anywhere with _you_.”

 

The disgust in Draco's voice was clear and Harry had to suppress a chuckle. He had never once doubted Draco's loyalty to him, but having it stated like that sent a delightful shiver through his stomach. He raised an eyebrow when Edwards glanced back to him.

 

Edwards sighed. “Fine. Go on in.”

 

Slight surprise flittered through Harry that he had given in so easily, but he pushed it aside. If they could only get this over and done with, they could leave. The suite of rooms was much warmer than the office Harry had been taken to on his first visit to the offices, with soft chairs and a sideboard full with expensive-looking alcohol. Ginny stood in the middle of the room, her eyes wide in entreaty. She lost the look almost immediately when she glanced over Harry’s shoulder to see Draco entering the room behind him.

 

“What is _he_ doing here?”

 

The transformation shouldn’t have surprised him, Harry knew, but it did. Ginny’s features twisted into a grimace for a few seconds before she turned from them. Harry stopped a couple of steps inside the door, not allowing Edwards to close it behind him. He crossed his arms across his chest and stood as impassively as he could manage.

 

“No, it doesn’t matter. Harry, I…” She trailed off before turning wide, pleading eyes on him. “I’m _sorry_ , alright? All I ever wanted out of this relationship was for you to love me as much as I loved you. I know that what I have done is unacceptable, but I was hoping that maybe we could–”

 

“I’ve signed the divorce papers, Ginny,” Harry interrupted her, mercilessly ignoring that fact that she appeared to be trying to make everything up to him. After everything that had happened between them, he knew he could never forgive her. “We are officially and legally over.”

 

Once again the transformation in her features took Harry by surprise. He actually took a small step backwards as she clenched her hands into fists, her eyes flashed with an anger he had rarely seen from anyone, and her lips curled into a snarl.

 

“You are _disgusting_. Why I ever thought you wanted me for anything beyond being a baby-making machine is beyond me.” She turned to pace towards the window in the opposite wall before stopping with her back still to them. “I never even wanted children. Did you know that? I had them for _you_ , you ungrateful bastard!”

 

“Oh!”

 

Harry’s stomach dropped into his shoes again at the quiet exclamation. Turning slowly, he caught the edge of a horrified look on James’ face before he ran out of the room. Draco took off after him without a word, but Harry turned back to Ginny, letting his anger truly shine through for once.

 

“You don’t deserve anything you had, you _fucking_ bitch! Those children love you and you have treated them like absolute shit for the past few months. It would serve you right if they never wanted to see you again.”

 

It was all he could get out before he had to give in to the urge to find James. He sprinted out into the hall, his head swivelling side-to-side. Molly and Arthur stood with Albus and Lily in the vestibule and Molly pointed wordlessly down the hall. Harry nodded before taking off again in search of his son. It didn’t take long until he heard the sound of sobs coming from what looked to be a supply closet. Slowing his pace, Harry clenched his hands as he stopped in the doorway. Draco had managed to catch James and was standing with him in his arms, murmuring quietly in his ear. He offered Harry a helpless look as he entered the room. Harry took James from his arms, holding him close as he sobbed.

 

“I’ll grab Molly.”

 

Harry nodded distractedly, his mind already flying through what he could do to make this better.

 

*~*

 

It literally took them hours to calm James down that night, not that Draco blamed him for being so upset. He had managed to keep Lily distracted enough so that she missed most of what was happening, but Albus was another matter altogether. He knew James was incredibly upset and, when none of the grownups would tell him why, he had assumed that something bad had happened. This had led to a second set of tears that none of them had been able to quell.

 

Draco sighed as he lay back in their bed at Grimmauld. His head ached from the constant sound of sobs he had heard over the past hours; his arms and back ached from where Lily had insisted on being carried during a game he was never playing again; and his chest ached with the memories of the horror that had filled James’ face. He had ever seen anyone as devastated as that little twelve-year-old had looked when he had heard that his own Mother hadn’t wanted him.

 

Thinking he never wanted to move again, he was just starting to finally relax when a small, strange sound from the bathroom forced him up and out of the bed. Moving across the room, he pushed the door open to find Harry with his head resting against the glass of the mirror. Without a word, Draco moved to pull him into an embrace. He smiled when Harry collapsed into his arms with a soft sigh.

 

“Shh, Harry, it’s all over.”

 

Burying his face into the crook of Draco's neck, Harry snuffled a little before responding. “Promise?”

 

Exhaustion was clear in his voice and Draco tightened his grip on him automatically. “You never have to see her again. All that’s left is to heal from the damage she’s caused.”

 

Harry chuckled quietly against Draco's throat. “Oh, is that all?”

 

Draco smiled in response. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, inhaling Harry’s scent. A quiet peace fell over them as they stood there, simply enjoying each other’s company. Standing there with Harry in his arms, it was almost possible for Draco to forget everything that had happened that day. _Almost_. Pulling back and brushing his fingers beneath Harry’s chin, he met his eyes.

 

“I am so sorry, Harry.”

 

Squeezing his lips together and his eyes shut, Harry swayed forward to rest their foreheads together. “The kids are innocent in this; they don’t deserve to be treated like this, Dray. I…” He reopened his eyes to pin Draco with a wide-eyed, sad look. “Unless they request it, I’m not letting them anywhere near her.”

 

Draco nodded silently in response, giving Harry what he wanted in that second. He knew that Harry wouldn’t legally be allowed to deny that bitch access to her children, but if what Harry needed right at that point was for Draco to agree with him, then that was exactly what he would do. They had both been through more than they deserved to have been put through over the past few months and Draco saw no harm in allowing Harry this one little fantasy scenario.

 

He moved them back into the bedroom after a few minutes. Harry collapsed onto Draco's side of the bed and raised his arm, obviously waiting for Draco to slide in beneath it so he could collapse on top of him. Once Draco had managed it – and Harry had made himself comfortable on top of him – he let out a satisfied sigh.

 

“I love you.”

 

The words were whispered and it sounded very much like Harry was damn-near asleep. Draco tightened his grip on Harry’s shoulders.

 

“Love you, too.”

 

A soft, sleepy grunt was Harry’s only response. Staring up at the canopy of their bed, Draco took a steadying breath. The past few months had been absolute hell in one way and the best of his life in many others. It really did figure that the memories of the first few months of his relationship with Harry would be marred by the memories of what that bitch had done to them, as well as to Harry’s children. He wouldn’t give it up for anything, though. For the first time in his life, Draco was finally truly happy. He had Harry, he had the beginnings of a whole new family to add to his own and he had his parents’ blessing for it all. He couldn’t have asked for anything else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is it, the end. I do have a question, though:  
> Do you want to see a wedding? The options:  
> Wedding.  
> Epilogue.  
> Wedding and epilogue.  
> Bugger off, Flynn, the story's over: leave them alone!  
> Let me know! :D


	51. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty, so the idea of a wedding to finish was polarising when I asked. So here's what I'll do. This chapter will serve as an epilogue for this story. In a few weeks, possibly up to two months, I'll start a sequel. It'll start at either the start of June or July the next year and will cover the wedding, how they all interact as a blended family and the summer before Lily goes off to Hogwarts.
> 
> Also, thank you to everyone who has commented, liked, bookmarked or even just read this story! The response has been amazing considering where it started!

The steam huffing out of the Hogwarts Express combined with the press of bodies to counter the freezing December weather on Platform 9 ¾. It wasn’t the train or the people that had captured Draco's attention, however. Standing back against the wall at one end of the platform, his eyes were pinned to the door of the bathroom. Images of his time spent in there back in September flicked through his mind and he had to suppress a smile. Those few minutes had been a pivotal point in his life and he never could have imagined at the time that he could now have what he did because of it.

 

“You know, if you looked at me like you’re looking at that door, we’d never have gotten out of the house this morning.”

 

“Get your mind out of the gutter, Potter; there’s children present.”

 

Harry’s responding laugh had Draco turning to face him to catch the sparkle his eyes gained. After a quick glance around to make sure they weren’t being watched too closely, Draco reached to brush his fingers through the streak of silver that now adorned Harry’s right temple and trailed back towards his ear. They both assumed that it was the stress Harry had been under during the trial that had caused the grey streak to appear so suddenly and Draco was quite thankful that this was the only real physical damage Harry had suffered. He had known beforehand that Harry was quite strong-willed and the fact that he hadn’t crumbled after the trial and its consequences was a testament to that. Draco couldn’t help smirking when Harry ducked away from his touch.

 

“Leave it alone, would you?” Harry shot him a glare and scrubbed a hand through the rest of his hair. “It’s annoying enough knowing it’s there.”

 

Stepping up behind him, Draco traced a finger lightly through Harry’s hair again. “It gives you a distinguished look.”

 

“It does not.”

 

“It’s also quite sexy.”

 

“It is not; you’re insane.”

 

The amusement on Harry’s face sent adrenalin thrilling through Draco's veins, spurring him on when he usually would have let it go. “My apologies. I’ll endeavour to never tell you how attractive I find you ever again.”

 

Harry snorted with laughter just as a familiar shriek drew both of their attention. Stepping away from him a few steps gave Draco a good line of sight through the crowd so he could make out Lily jumping with excitement as her cousins and brothers exited the train. Glancing around the platform, Draco found Astoria grinning at him a little distance from where Lily stood with her Aunts and Uncles. Placing a hand lightly on the small of Harry’s back, Draco followed him through the crowd, using the short amount of time to compose himself again.

 

He was looking forward to seeing all three of the boys again, not just Scorpius. In the days following the trial, Draco had gone to Hogwarts to check on Scorpius and was pleased to discover that the press hadn’t been able to make their way into the school. Scorpius had been happy to see him but confused as to why he had been pulled away from his friends.

 

It was Harry’s boys who had really suffered. He and Harry had known that the days and weeks following the trial were going to be hell, but what James overheard had made it so much worse. Draco had never seen a child with such a hollow, broken look in his eyes as what he had seen with James over the week Harry kept him back from school after the trial. He had lost a lot of his liveliness, spending his time at Grimmauld and the Manor in his room and only speaking when asked a direct question. Having gone through what they had after the War, both Harry and Draco had contacts with Healers and therapists who could help with emotional trauma and Harry hadn’t hesitated in contacting them. They both knew that it would take a while for James to come back to his normal self, but the therapist he was now in regular contact with was definitely helping him to sort through everything that had happened. It was a form of Healing that Draco was now certain that Harry should have had when he was a teenager, considering the kinds of things he had gone through.

 

“ _Mum_!” Scorpius’ voice broke Draco out of his thoughts and he glanced down to see Astoria hugging Scorpius close to her chest. “Mum, everyone’s watching!”

 

Scorpius broke away from Astoria, a slight blush staining his cheeks as he glanced furtively around. Draco offered up a small smile when he met his eyes.

 

“How has everything been, Scorp? No problems?”

 

“No, people seem to ignore me and go straight to Al and James if they want gossip.” He turned to look over his shoulder, a worried look in his eyes. “Dad, is James alright? There’s been a lot of rumours about what happened and why he’s so quiet now.”

 

Draco closed his eyes briefly as a familiar dull ache spread through his chest. Truth be told, he had no idea how James was right at that moment, because he simply couldn’t imagine what it would be like to be rejected so thoroughly by one of his parents. He glanced out over the sea of red hair he was now surrounded by to find Harry, resisting the urge to wince as the Weasley clan crowded around each other. Kneeling down at the edge of the crowd, Harry was speaking to James who was, thankfully, responding.

 

“We hope he will be alright, Scorp,” he responded after a few seconds. “He’s been through a lot; more than he should have, really.”

 

“Are he and Al coming back to the Manor with us for Christmas?”

 

Draco finally dragged his eyes away from Harry. “They are.”

 

“Good.” Draco could feel his eyes widening, but before he could ask, Scorpius continued. “That means I’ll have someone good to play against in chess.”

 

With that, he spun on his heel and headed over to speak to a group of students that included Carmel Zabini. Draco stood still for a few seconds, unsure if he should be happy that Scorpius was happy, or insulted over the chess jab.

 

“He gets that competitiveness from you, you know.”

 

“Me?” Draco raised an eyebrow as he guided Astoria out and around the gathered Weasleys, weaving their way over to Harry. “Out of the two of us, who was it who joined the chess club in school?”

 

Astoria grinned at him. “Me. But I never played Quidditch.”

 

Draco leant close as they came up behind Harry. “I had an _extremely_ good reason for wanting to play Quidditch against him.”

 

An elbow to his ribs was Astoria’s only response. Draco grunted and rubbed his side as Harry stood and looked between them with a questioning look.

 

“Your boyfriend is sick,” Astoria explained before Draco could even open his mouth.

 

Harry snorted. “You married him.”

 

Draco shook his head slowly. Introducing the two of them was probably a bad decision, he figured as they both grinned at him. Choosing to ignore them, he glanced around Harry to where James stood watching them.

 

“How are you, James?”

 

“Good.” James stepped up and pressed himself close to Harry’s side, a slightly wary look in his eyes. “Looking forward to going home.”

 

Seeing a child who had been so outgoing now so quiet caused Draco's chest to ache again, but he was determined to not give James any further reason to retreat into himself. He met Harry’s eyes and raised a questioning eyebrow.

 

“We’ll stop off at Grimmauld first?”

 

“The Manor’s less draughty.” Draco saw Harry’s head snap down so he could stare at James with what Draco assumed was the same level of astonishment as he was at that moment. James stared at the two of them for a few seconds before looking awkwardly over his shoulder. “I’m going to go say goodbye to everyone, alright?”

 

“Did he just..?” Draco trailed off, a strange sensation trying to break through in his chest.

 

“I think ‘home’ in this case is the Manor.”

 

The feeling in Draco's chest finally broke through the slight shock at James’ words, causing a smile to spread across his face. With what felt like a mix of joy, gratitude and relief washing through him, he knew it was impossible for him to prevent the smile and he ducked his head instead of trying. He felt more than saw Harry move up in front of him.

 

“Looks like we’re making progress there.”

 

Draco raised his head the second he got the smile back under control. The happiness he saw in Harry’s eyes almost ruined that control again and he glanced away, needing to be able to regain control properly again. Unfortunately, this brought Astoria back into his line of sight. She shook her head, a small smile on her face.

 

“I’m going to collect Scorpius before Carmel decides that he’s going to spend the holiday with her.”

 

“Mmm, I should find Al and Lily as well.”

 

The two of them drifted off, leaving Draco watching over James as he spoke with some of his cousins. He was so focussed on watching the nuances of James’ interactions with the other children that he didn’t notice Hermione sidling up beside him until she spoke.

 

“How is he? He seems better.”

 

Only just managing to control the shock at her sudden appearance, Draco glanced over to see that she wasn’t looking at him. He had put in a great effort to be nice to both her and her husband since the trial – as well as any other Weasley he had come across – and was quite proud that he had managed to not snap at any of them. Changing nearly thirty years of behaviour was proving difficult, but he was managing. He cleared his throat as he looked back to James.

 

“He’s talking a lot more freely than he was, but is still very clingy. I would assume that in cases such as this, though, that is to be expected. The therapist he has been seeing is sending back favourable reports as well.”

 

He saw her shake her head out of the corner of his eye. He waited for her to speak, however, as he knew that if she had something to say, then she would say it.

 

“I can’t imagine having to deal with what he has had to over the past two months.”

 

“No, neither can I.”

 

It took a few seconds before Draco realised that he had just completely agreed with something Hermione Granger had said. He didn’t get long to examine the feeling, though, before Ronald moved up beside her and wrapped an arm around her waist.

 

“Malfoy.”

 

“Ronald.” Draco had to suppress the smirk that threatened at the Weasel’s surprised look when he used his given name. From across the sea of orange, Harry met his eyes and Draco gave a soft sigh. _Be the bigger man_. “How was Rose’s first semester?”

 

This sent Hermione off on a long-winded account of their daughter’s first year at Hogwarts. It seemed that she had inherited her Mother’s brains and that she was near the top of the year with Scorpius. That little piece of information sent a competitiveness through Draco that he had trouble suppressing; one that he had felt towards Hermione himself during school. With the exception of his sixth year and every Defence Against the Dark Arts class, he had been right there with her at the top of the year and it had annoyed him no end when he was unable to beat her.

 

Mixed in with her raving about Rose were little morsels of information on Albus that Draco had been unaware of, causing him to pay close attention to what she was saying. Little things like his favourite classes, or the fact that he and Rose were quite close were interspersed with information on Rose, Hugo and various cousins. It was all a bit much to take in at once, but Draco paid attention to it all, just in case. She didn’t stop speaking until Harry moved over to them with Al and Lily in tow.

 

“So, I was talking to Percy about Christmas,” he began before pausing for a few seconds to meet Draco's eyes questioningly.

 

“I have no relations other than my parents. They will expect to see us, as will Astoria’s parents, but besides that, Christmas is always on the small-ish side for us.”

 

He knew that Harry already knew this, but figured it was good for Ronald and Hermione to hear it from him as well. Harry nodded slowly, obviously unsure about how to broach the subject of the Weasley Christmas.

 

“Are your parents at the Manor for Christmas?”

 

Draco blinked in surprise as Hermione turned to face him. “They are, as are Astoria’s.”

 

“Then it should be easy enough. They can all see you in the morning and you can all come to the Burrow in the afternoon.”

 

Ronald’s eyes widened a little at the suggestion, letting Draco know that this was not a plan they had discussed beforehand. He glanced back to see a hopefulness dawning in Harry’s eyes that he couldn’t crush, no matter the prospect he was facing. Christmas with the Weasley clan. The idea was more than a little daunting, but it was obviously what Harry wanted.

 

“Oh, well, I’ll have to speak to Molly, obviously, but that would be brilliant.”

 

Draco could hear the anticipation in Harry’s voice and he couldn’t help a small smile. It was good to know that, no matter what had passed between them, Harry would have the hope of keeping the family he had built around himself. After an exchange of promises to stay in touch over the next few days as well as further goodbyes to various relations, it appeared Harry and the kids were finally ready to leave.

 

“Alright, do we have everything and everyone?”

 

“I think I’d know if I was missing, Dad.”

 

Harry rolled his eyes at Al’s sarcasm, but kept quiet. The trip through King’s Cross station was a little noisier than Draco was used to and he spent a lot of time simply counting the children around him, hoping that they wouldn’t accidentally lose one of them. Scorpius and Albus paired off, talking and laughing as they pushed their trolleys. Astoria had grabbed Lily’s hand and was guiding her slowly through the crowds behind Al and Scorp. A mild worry touched Draco's chest when he couldn’t find Harry and James, but it was alleviated the second he felt a small hand grab the back of his coat. He looked over his shoulder to find James holding tightly to him. Harry was just behind him, pushing his trolley with a strange glint in his eyes as he watched them. Draco offered a small smile as he reached back to place a hand between James’ shoulder blades, guiding him through the crowd before him. James stepped away and back to Harry the second they made it outside the station, but Draco figured anything that indicated that James wasn’t pushing him away was positive progress.

 

Standing and counting heads, Harry grinned when he saw that they still had everyone. He had driven them all there that morning in the luxury car the Malfoy family had owned for years. Draco had never bothered learning to drive, as he had always been driven by the family drivers, but Harry insisted on driving himself. It had left Draco's regular driver looking a little miffed, but he was professional enough to not say anything about it.

 

“Alright, it looks like we still have everyone.” He met Draco's eyes over the children’s heads, a knowing smile tilting his lips. “Let’s head back home, then.”

 

*~*

 

The two days before Christmas day were filled with games to keep the children distracted and more food than Harry knew he should have eaten. It was strange, having so many new people around him during the holidays, but he knew it was something he would get used to, just as he had with the Weasleys all those years ago.

 

Christmas morning itself dawned cold and dark. Frowning as he shivered a little, Harry rolled over and flung an arm in Draco's direction, only for it to hit nothing but cold sheets. He squinted at the alarm clock, hoping it wasn’t too early. 5:47. He groaned. It was too early for the children to be awake on their own, but he would place any amount of money on Draco having rose at his usual early hour to tend to his greenhouse.

 

He slipped out of bed, visited the bathroom and wrapped himself in warm pyjamas and a fluffy dressing gown that Draco had purchased for him at the start of winter. Making his way down through the Manor as quietly as he could, he took the opportunity to check on each of the kids on the way. Lily was sprawled across her bed, her arms and legs flung in all directions. Harry smiled and closed the door again quietly before he accidentally woke her. Al was curled in a tiny ball, so Harry grabbed another blanket and carefully placed it over him. It took a few minutes, but Al slowly uncurled as he warmed up. Scorpius’ room was next. All Harry could see of him was a shock of white-blond hair over the top of the blankets. A soft snore sounded just as he closed the door. James’ bed was empty.

 

Panic shot through Harry before he realised that James was standing at the window. He moved slowly into the room, making sure his slipper-clad feet shuffled a little on the thick rug so James would know he was there.

 

“Draco's in the greenhouse.”

 

Harry smiled. “I figured; he’s weird like that.” His smile widened when James huffed out a small laugh. “I just wanted to check on all of you first before I joined him.”

 

James turned to face him. Framed by the window behind him, it was impossible for Harry to make out his expression, but his body language didn’t set off any alarm bells. The past two days had given Harry the hope that maybe James would pull through this without any permanent damage and his next words proved that hope to not be in vain.

 

“I’m going to be alright, Dad. Healer Kendall is really nice and knows what I’m going through. She says… She says it might take a while before I can think of Mum without hurting, but eventually everything will be dulled and not feel like it does now. You don’t have to worry about me so much.”

 

Unable to help it, Harry let out a shaky-sounding laugh. “Jamie, it’s my job to worry about you.” Prompted by a pressing feeling in his chest, he stepped forward to scoop James up into his arms. He took a few steps back so they were sitting on the bed together, with James next to him. “And I will worry about you – all of you – until I’m old and grey and wrinkled and you all have kids of your own. Even then, I’ll probably still be trailing behind you, telling you to not stand at windows in the middle of winter wearing only your pyjamas.”

 

James’ laugh sent a feeling of pure happiness straight through Harry. “You already are grey, Dad.”

 

Despite a huge attempt at keeping a straight face, Harry grinned. “I believe Draco may have had a bit of a bad influence on you, young man.”

 

James’ responding laugh sent more joy through Harry, warming him much more than the dressing gown. Taking into consideration how dire things had been looking only seven weeks before, Harry thought it a small miracle to be able to hear James sounding so free again. He made a mental note to send an extra-large bunch of flowers to Healer Kendall as he joined in James’ laughter. He ruffled his son’s hair as he climbed back beneath the covers.

 

“Merry Christmas, Jamie.”

 

“Merry Christmas, Dad. I’ll stay in here and pretend to sleep until at least 6:30?”

 

Harry grinned. “Thank you. You know how grumpy your sister gets if she’s woken up too early.”

 

James’ responding groan had Harry laughing again. Having satisfied himself that all four kids were alright, he continued on his way through the Manor. Snow had been falling all night, it seemed, as everything was blanketed in white as he pushed open the backdoor. The Manor was beautiful in the winter, but Harry didn’t spare the time to take it in as the cold began to seep through him again. Melting the snow with his wand, he followed the path that Draco had obviously forged earlier in the morning. The door of the greenhouse shut quietly behind him and Harry stood still, taking in the sight before him.

 

Draco was working at one of the middle tables, his head bent and hands flying over whatever he was working on. A building desire made itself known in Harry’s chest as he watched him working quietly. In the dim light, Draco's hair shone like the snow outside, giving him an ethereal look that simply took Harry’s breath away. It was odd to think that a mere four months ago, Draco had been _Malfoy_ , the annoying git that Harry had still held a grudge against from their school days.

 

Harry stepped closer, keeping as quiet as he could so as not to disturb Draco. He figured a trip to St. Mungo’s because Draco had accidentally chopped a finger off wasn’t the best way to start Christmas morning.

 

“Are you going to wish me a happy Christmas, or are you just here to watch?”

 

Harry grinned. “Both. Although, with a knife in your hand, you could probably convince me to say anything you wanted.”

 

Casting a stasis charm over his work, Draco turned to face Harry, knife in hand and a wicked grin on his face. “Anything?”

 

The desire that had been building in Harry’s chest kicked up a few notches at the sight and he moved forward a few steps. “What did you have in mind?”

 

Draco's eyes roamed Harry’s body, but he stayed where he was. “Evidentially not what _you_ thought.” Turning back to the table, he placed the knife down and let out a small breath. “I have something for you.”

 

A mild confusion running through him at the change in direction the conversation had taken, Harry frowned. “Presents are for when everyone is, well, present.”

 

“How incredibly eloquent of you, Potter.” Draco's hands moved to grasp the edge of the table, causing Harry’s frown to deepen. “This, however, is not a Christmas present.”

 

Unwilling to leave Draco just standing there when he was obviously so nervous about something, Harry stepped up behind him and wrapped his arms around his middle. He was thankful when Draco immediately relaxed back into the embrace. Rubbing his stubbly cheek against the soft skin of Draco's throat earned him a shaky laugh.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“Nothing.”

 

“ _Draco_.”

 

“Nothing is wrong.”

 

He took a deep breath before grabbing something from the table and spinning around. Harry took a few steps back when Draco raised his hand, showing him a small silver box engraved with the fancy and elegant ‘M’ some of the Malfoy heirlooms held.

 

“This belonged to Grandfather Abraxas. He and Grandmother Onora were married for eighty seven years.”

 

Harry could feel his eyes widening. He honestly hadn’t been expecting an actual proposal; or a ring, for that matter. It occurred to him that he had just assumed that at some point in the near future, they would marry without any fuss. A confusing mix of emotions crowded through his chest, each trying to be felt first.

 

“Dray…”

 

Draco held up his free hand and Harry shut his mouth. Getting down on one knee, Draco took a deep breath.

 

“You know, sometimes it feels as though, in one way or another, I have loved you for most of my life. My Grandfather believed that this ring brought him and my Grandmother an entire lifetime of happiness in an arranged marriage. I’d like to think, though, that we won’t need luck or a charmed ring; that what we have is much stronger than that.” He flipped the box open to reveal a white gold band, engraved with vines twining around the centre and topped with what looked to be an emerald. “With that in mind, Harry James Potter, would you do me the great honour of agreeing to marry me?”

 

The feelings overwhelming him seemed to peak, with one of the purest feelings of love that Harry had ever experienced beginning to dominate. He was absolutely certain that there was some kind of formal way to accept such a proposal, but he followed his instincts. Falling to his knees, he placed both hands on the sides of Draco's face and drew him into a deep kiss. Draco's response of huffing out a surprised sound had Harry laughing into the kiss, but he didn’t break it. He slid his tongue into Draco's mouth the second he began reacting to him. Enjoying the feeling of having Draco all to himself for the time being, Harry shuffled as close as he could on his knees, earning himself a small chuckle.

 

“Are you going to answer me?”

 

Draco's voice was completely breathless, causing Harry to let out what he thought sounded like a delirious laugh. “Yes. Of course, yes!”

 

The laughter in his voice seemed to cause a true smile to break on Draco's face. Pleasure rushed through Harry’s chest as he watched the glint in Draco's eyes: it was rare for him to score a _real_ smile from Draco, not just a smirk or the grin that he showed so often. Brushing his fingers across Draco's cheekbones caused the smile to widen, showing everything that Draco was feeling at that moment. His eyes dropped to the box as Draco removed the ring.

 

“Hold out your hand.”

 

The ring seemed to fit itself to Harry’s finger as Draco slid it on. Harry stared down at it for long enough that Draco let out a frustrated-sounding sigh, grabbed his hand and raised it until Harry’s eyes met his.

 

“I love you.”

 

The ache in his cheeks told Harry that his own smile matched Draco's in intensity. “I love you, too.”

 

Draco drew him into another, softer kiss, one that held so much promise that Harry’s head began to swim. Sliding down so that he was sitting on the floor of the greenhouse – and dragging Draco with him – Harry sighed softly. It was such a rare occurrence for the two of them to have time alone like this when the kids were around that Harry lost track of the time. Sitting together there in the silence and keeping each other warm from the chill air was so peaceful that Harry jumped when the door banged open.

 

“You two had better be hiding in here,” Astoria’s voice interrupted the silence. “We have four very excited children inside looking for you.”

 

She paused when she rounded the corner of the tables and caught sight of the two of them. Her eyes widened and she took a step closer, seeming to hesitate a little before speaking again.

 

“Did… Did he do it?”

 

Harry couldn’t help laughing at the blush that spread over Draco's cheeks at her words, but he rose to his feet and held out his hand anyway. “He did.”

 

He was certain that the squeal Astoria let out could have been heard over in the next county. She rushed up to him and threw her arms around his neck, almost bouncing in her excitement.

 

“ _Finally_.”

 

The rest of the household, thankfully, had a much more tempered reaction to the news than Astoria had. Both Astoria’s parents – Caroline and Terrance – as well as Draco's had spent the night at the Manor so they could see their Grandson on Christmas morning. It was a sharp reminder for Harry that, sometime in the near future, Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy were going to be his in-laws. It was a slightly nerve-wracking thought, but he pushed it aside for the time being. There was no point in scaring himself needlessly so early on.

 

The morning went quite well, with all of the kids unwrapping the biggest presents first and throwing the paper all over the formal living room of the Manor. Draco and Harry had brought Lily a chemistry set that she had been looking at in one of the Muggle stores in London for a while. James scored a full collection of Chudley Cannons Quidditch gear, which he immediately started putting on. Albus seemed slightly overwhelmed with his new special edition wizard chess set, despite the fact that Harry could see no real difference between it and the regular ones. Al did try to explain, but gave up when Harry just shook his head. Lastly, Scorpius sat staring down into the box he opened, a look of complete shock on his face. Harry watched curiously as he pulled a miniature dragon from the box. It roared and stamped its feet as it followed him around the living room. Draco nudged him in the ribs and he leant in.

 

“The charm will have to be refreshed every two weeks if he wants it to continue working, so he can either leave it here to wind down, or take it to Hogwarts with him and practice himself.”

 

It was one of the most fascinating children’s toys Harry had ever seen and kind of made him wish that it had been around when he was a child. Following lunch, Harry, Draco and all four kids moved on to the Burrow. Harry was a little worried about how the day would go, but it seemed that the presence of the children softened many of the negative reactions. He and Draco spent most of their time outside with Arthur, Ron and Hermione, watching the kids fly around the orchard.

 

The presents were nowhere near as lavish here as they were at the Manor, but this was a different kind of celebration. Whereas the one in the Manor had been slightly more formal, this was all about the children. Molly had even thought to make Scorpius a Weasley jumper, which he stared at with wide eyes before Al informed him, rather helpfully, that it was supposed to be worn, not looked at. Harry knew that he shouldn’t find Al’s developing talent for sarcasm amusing, but he couldn’t help chuckling every time. Seeing Scorpius Malfoy kitted out in a green jumper with a gold _S_ knitted on the front sent warmth spreading through Harry and he couldn’t even bring himself to care that Draco hadn’t scored a jumper himself. In fact, Draco seemed quite surprised and thankful for the homemade shortbread package he did receive and it seemed to relax him a little towards Molly and Arthur.

 

Harry considered the fact that they made it through the entire ordeal without one single real fight a true wonder. He had had no idea what to expect from Christmas day at the Burrow with his blended family, but they had all managed to surprise him. The three younger kids all crashed early, with Harry putting Al to bed at only nine o’clock. He was beginning to feel the day close in on him as well, but knew that he wouldn’t be able to bring himself to kick James out and send him to bed when he didn’t want to. It seemed, however, that he needn’t have worried.

 

He smiled as he walked into the living room of the Manor to find Draco sitting in the middle of the lounge with James next to him, both of them sound asleep. Al’s new chess set was sitting on a table in front of them, impatiently calling out for them to awake and finish the game. Moving slowly into the room, Harry cleared the game up with a swipe of his wand, then turned to face them.

 

He knew that the change in James’ attitude towards Draco had been brought about through some of the worst circumstances, but the sight before him was so relieving that Harry couldn’t bring himself to wake them. He stepped back and folded himself up into one of the spare chairs. The glint of his new ring in the firelight had him smiling even wider.

 

“Harry?” Draco's voice was thick with sleep.

 

“Right here.”

 

Draco blinked his eyes open and smiled when he saw that James was asleep next to him. “How long?”

 

“I’ve just come back down from putting Al to bed. I think it might be about time I took you up as well.”

 

The tilt of Draco's lips told Harry that he was waking up rapidly. “Don’t take too long.”

 

Harry grinned as he scooped James into his arms and carried him up to his room. He didn’t wake as Harry tucked him beneath the covers. Harry placed a kiss on his forehead before returning to the living room to find that, while Draco hadn’t moved from the position on the lounge, there was something _very_ different about him. The leer that Draco shot him probably had something to do with it, Harry figured as he moved to settle himself on the lounge.

 

“Happy Christmas, Dray.”


End file.
